When previous generations thought of a farm crisis, they were generally concerned with crop damage or major repairs to equipment and structures. These days, a crisis can also involve public relations. Even if your farm is not open to the public, you should nonetheless have a media strategy in place-here are some tips that will get you started.
#1. Designate a Spokesperson
When there is a crisis, the last thing you need is to have multiple people providing different versions of certain events. Don’t wait until the press is circling your property to decide who will address them. Choose that individual now and make sure that everyone who lives and works on your farm knows who that person is. Make it clear that your designated spokesperson is the only one authorized to release an official statement.
#2. Identify Possible Scenarios
Every business has certain liabilities, and farms are no exception. Chances are you already know what situations are likely to cause you the most grief in the future. Identify them now so you can come up with an idea of how you might react.
At this point, it’s okay to go ahead and involve several people in the brainstorming process. This could include making a rough draft of the official statement your spokesperson would give. Consider what methods you will use to convey your message such as social media, press releases, etc.
#3. Keep Tweaking your Plan
As operations change, you may find that your crisis prevention plan no longer suits you. This is why you should review your plan often and make any necessary adjustments before you find out the hard way that your existing strategy will not work.
Modern forms of communication make it difficult to keep crisis situations quiet. As such, knowing how you will deal with a potential disaster can help smooth things over so your farm can get back to normal operations as quickly as possible. For more practical farm management advice, please contact us.
