1 page., Features organization and goals of a network of agricultural journalists in Africa: Media for Environmental and Agricultural Development (MEAD).
Beall, Gary A. (author), Hayes,James H. (author), and Beall: Communications Specialist, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, Davis, CA; Hays: Emeritus Professor and former Director, Brock Center for Agricultural Communication, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1993-05
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 93 Document Number: C07013
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Mimeographed, 1993. 6 p. (Paper presented at the 1993 International Agricultural Communicators in Education conference; 1993 May 8-12; Miami, FL)
21 pages, via online journal, How an agricultural organization handles the way the media reports a crisis can have an impact on the public’s perceptions of the organization, and sometimes the industry as a whole. The popularity of social media outlets as a venue for disseminating and gathering information and news makes the use of social media surrounding agricultural crises an important topic to investigate (Glynn, Huge, & Hoffman 2012; Hermida, 2010). A qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the use of social media tools during an agricultural crisis. The participants – communications directors, social media managers, and individuals with a close connection to the crisis under study – reported that social media was a major component of their communication efforts surrounding each crisis. Participants felt social media was very effective in these situations and had a major impact on their communication efforts. Although no participants reported using a structured social media strategy or crisis communication plan, they stated a need for such guidelines in the agricultural industry. From the data analyzed in this study, a model for using social media during a crisis situation, aimed specifically for use by those in the agricultural industry, was developed. This project was funded through the USDA's Beginning Farmers & Ranchers Project.
