Food Safety Magazine, June/July 2012

Focus on TRACEABILITY
Recognize the story’s appeal. Threats to
public health and food safety are hot
topics. Coverage of your recall will range
from the disinterested to the sensational—and
everywhere in between. More
than 80 reporters were covering the 2010
egg recall on a daily basis. Many showed
up on-site at one of the affected farms.
Media will use the highest numbers
possible when reporting both the scope
of the recall and the people potentially
affected by it. They’ll be looking for
the three ideal parts of a story—a victim
“Effective, responsible
that the situation is not repeated. Restoring
trust and reputation takes time and
resources, but is necessary for survival
after a recall. Above all, farms must illustrate
a clear change in course, a commitment
to going above and beyond
to ensure safe food is produced and an
ongoing effort to do what’s right and
responsible at all times.
•
Hinda Mitchell of CMA (an issues management
and communications firm) provided crisis communications,
media relations and strategic message
development counsel during the 2010 national
egg recall.
For more information about traceability and recall
communication, please visit our Signature Series
articles on our website at
www.foodsafetymagazine.com/signature.asp
communication is key
to maintaining trust in
the food system, and
a challenge for anyone
who produces food is
determining a strategy for
communicating prior to,
during and after a recall.”
(consumers), a villain (the farm) and a
superhero (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
or other agency). It is frustrating,
but it is reality. Again, don’t let
others tell your story for you. Represent
your farm at all times.
Plan for a long road back. The consuming
public wants their food to be safe
and free from disease. A recall puts
that wish in jeopardy, and for a farm to
regain the trust of its customers and consumers,
a consistent, transparent effort
of ongoing communication is required.
Farms must demonstrate that they have
cooperated fully with all regulatory officials,
that they have implemented all
needed corrective measures and that
steps have been put in place to ensure
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