Agroterrorism and Actions Producers
Should Take
The recent terrorist attack has heightened the
awareness of all Americans to safeguard their property and to be more aware of
suspicious activity. Following are some recommendations made by the Animal
Agriculture Alliance, of which Farm Bureau is a member, to maintain security at
your farm or ranch:
- Talk seriously with your local police/fire/emergency
departments. Get to know the people whose job it is to protect you and your
family. Let them know you are prioritizing your facility security and report
any legitimate ecological or animal rights criminal activity. It is imperative
you know how many officers are on duty during early morning hours, prime time
for "hits" on rural facilities, whom to call for all situations and their
response times.
- Establish a good working relationship with the
appropriate public authorities; making sure they have copies of maps of your
facilities which indicate service shut-off locations, security areas and any
area of sensitivity or vulnerability.
- Evaluate every request for information about your
operation. Do not fall prey to false praise concerning your facility and never
agree to a suspicious request until you have verified the validity of the
request. Whenever possible, require requests for sensitive information or
tours be in writing. Never provide information over the phone (it can be
misinterpreted or misconstrued.) Reply to everything in writing. Obtain as
much information as possible, e.g. name, phone number, address, reason for
request, what the person will be doing with the information, who else they
have contacted. Ask to receive a copy of the final report once it is
completed. If the person hesitates to cooperate with any of these requests,
refuse to give them information about your operation or access to it.
- Ask for references. Make calls to verify the person
requesting any sensitive information is who they say they are especially those
claiming to be reporters.
- Ensure access to the facility is controlled.
Establish check-in procedures for visitors. Place appropriate signs noting
such procedures and require visitors to sign in and out upon entering and
leaving facility. Use visitor identification badges. This protects your
visitor as well as your operation.
- Escort visitors (especially reporters, photographers
and videographers) at all times through facility. Employees should be
instructed to report all unescorted visitors to the appropriate management and
security personnel immediately.
- Maintain basic security by locking office doors and
file cabinets. Have firewalls installed on your computer systems. Maintain
separate business and personal computers. Keep all animal health products
under lock and key. Use security lighting and alarms. Maintain fencing and
gates. Post signs indicating restricted areas and no trespassing.
- Thoroughly screen all job applicants. Take the time
to check all references. If you have any questions or concerns ask for further
references. Double-check anyone who shows a university or college
identification. Any hesitation by the prospective employee should take them
off your hire list.
- Watch for unusual behavior by new employees or
workers who have no reason to be in the facility past their shift. Pay
attention to workers who stay unusually late, arrive unusually early or access
files/information/other areas of the facility outside of their department or
responsibility, remove documents from the site, ask questions on sensitive
subjects or possess cameras or video cameras on-site. Watch for workers who
are standoffish or who do not mix with other employees. Note the mode of
dress, e.g. absence of leather or other animal products.
- Tell all workers at hiring that unannounced locker
checks, are part of your routine security maintenance operation. Tell all
employees at hiring that your operation will report and/or prosecute any
employee who breaks the law.
- Inform employees in vulnerable areas that
surveillance or infiltration is a possibility. Any suspicious activity should
be reported to supervisors or the appropriate security person immediately.
- Report all suspicious and/or illegal incidents to
local police.
- Watch for warning signs that you may be a target.
General patterns include: an increase in requests for animal specific
information; on-farm tours; calls/letters questioning or criticizing your
business or particular practices; harassing calls or letters (perhaps not to
your operation but one near you); increase in media attention to issues
relating to the cattle industry; special interest group campaigns locally;
and, unusual interest in gaining employment.
- Develop a company statement relative to care,
treatment and nutrition for your animals. The Alliance can help you with this,
as well as with how to talk with the public and the media about your
operation's "best practices."
- In all cases, designate a single spokesperson to
handle all calls, including media, about animal care, animal rights or any
company policy relative to animals. Conduct tests of your security system and,
if necessary, mock drills on your response program, including media
statements.
- Develop a crisis communication and action plan.
Establish policies and procedures for handling disruptive and illegal
situations as well as for handling adverse publicity that might result from
the misuse of information. Your priority is to keep you and your employees
safe. Take care of the people, then move on to ways to protect the bricks and
mortar.
- Make it known you practice zero tolerance that you
will prosecute to the full extent of the law every time.
For More Information Contact:
Ewell Welch
ewell.welch@arfb.com
Box 31, Little Rock 72203
(501) 228-1265