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Another attack
By Holly Martin Another video released and another industry that has to spend time and effort defending its actions and standards. If it seems as though it is becoming more frequent--that's because it is. I heard a few hours before the release of the video and press release that the Humane Society of the United States was planning a press conference. After having been through this before, I knew what to expect. And so did many in the agricultural community. In today's environment of immediate "news," stories like this can spread quickly. I particularly watched Twitter because you can search any topic and see what is being said from all walks of life. Interesting, I thought, how all of the tweets were exactly the same, "HSUS investigation reveals appalling animal cruelty. Speak out to pork companies." Come to find out, you don't even need to think to spread biased information for HSUS. For those of you who aren't familiar with Twitter, many websites allow you to "share" something via Twitter. Usually, you click on the link and it allows you to comment. What HSUS did, instead, was provided their canned comment about "appalling animal cruelty." My point is this: The agriculture industry is dealing with a very advanced foe. Not only do they have millions of dollars at their disposal, they also have perfected a model that brainwashes consumers in a way that they only have to click to spread misinformation. They don't even realize they are being manipulated. It does not mean the agriculture industry is defeated. In fact, we are learning how to respond to these types of attacks. Many farm and livestock organizations have extensive media training classes that help producers respond to questions when these stories surface. Producer organizations have response plans at the ready. Many producers are being proactive, as well. They engage consumers in conversation--whether it be in person or digitally through social networks like Twitter and YouTube. Large farms also have response plans in the event that crisis--real or manufactured--happens. They are putting employees through animal care standards or hazardous chemical training. These are the positive types of response that are needed. Many times our gut reaction is to lash out and maybe even cuss a little. But we simply can't. We need to know the facts about our industry and be able to engage in a calm discussion, no matter how passionately we feel. First, we need to make sure our house is in order. Animal abuse can not be tolerated at any level. Employees must understand this and be evaluated to ensure standard are being met. Secondly, we must be ready to respond. Whether you are a rancher with 20 cows or 20,000, the responsibility is ours to provide facts to consumers. We're getting better, but we're not there yet. More attacks to the agricultural industry will come. Let's work on our relationships with consumers now, so that when they do, it won't be so easy for them to be manipulated. Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806, or by email at hmartin@hpj.com .
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