ON THE MOVE
PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD By hoping for the best but planning for the worst, your farm or business will be better equipped to handle a manure spill if one occurs. by Abby Bauer, Managing Editor
N
o farm or custom manure applicator wants to experience a manure spill incident, but accidents happen. Rather than finding yourself thrown into the unwanted spotlight with no plan in place, Michigan Farm Bureau’s Laura Campbell encourages people to think ahead. She shared her tips for responding to the public and media during Michigan State University’s virtual Michigan Manure Summit. If there is an accident that involves manure, “Whether you are a farmer or custom hauler, you are going to have to deal with the public, and you may have to deal with the media,” Campbell said. She recommended that farmers and applicators develop not just one plan, but two.
Address the concerns The first plan details what you will do if there is a manure spill or a hauling accident. You must be prepared to address questions and concerns, especially from people who live nearby, she said. Some of your responses may need to be different depending on who you are talking to. She said to be prepared for photos and videos that could be taken at the site. “Everyone has a video camera right in their pocket on their cellphone,” she said. “A good way to approach a
situation is just to assume you are on camera. Be careful of the things you say and do.” A public response will be necessary, but if the incident causes a safety risk, your first and primary obligation is to start clean up and report the accident to authorities. While doing this, Campbell again reminded the audience to remain calm, in case someone is recording your reaction. She said you want to be sure anyone watching sees that you are competent and responsible and that you are doing what should be done to take care of the problem. While it’s not possible to prepare for every situation, part of the written response plan could be prewritten statements for quick access in an emergency situation. This could include background information about your farm or business to help people understand who you are and what you do. “Prewritten statements really help you out, so you don’t have to think about it on the fly,” Campbell shared. “Make a statement about your intent to follow laws and regulations and to cooperate with law enforcement and regulatory agencies. That goes a long way toward helping people understand that even though you’ve had an incident or an accident, you are going to be responsible and do what you are supposed to do help fix it.”
18 | Journal of Nutrient Management | February 2022
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Also include the contact information for the business owner, manager, or another delegated spokesperson. Be sure other employees know who to refer questions to if they are approached by someone. When speaking with people after an incident, Campbell said to be truthful. She advised one provide facts but not overshare. She also said it’s okay to ask someone to wait for a response if you are busy with clean up or want to wait for the official report to be released. Campbell again said to be prepared for people to take photos and videos, and she said to not try to stop someone from doing that as it could escalate the situation quickly. However, she said you can ask people to leave private property if they are simply a passerby. “The only people you have to let on your property are law enforcement authorities and agency folks responding to the incident,” she said. “Bystanders and neighbors may be concerned about their property, safety, and have strong feelings about manure application,” Campbell said. “You or the owner or manager should talk to them directly.” Campbell identified that there is a difference between talking to the public and talking to media. First of all, she stated that there is no such thing as “off the record.” “A reporter can quote jofnm.com
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