Editors DES MOINES, lowa Seven out of 10 newspaper editors from throughout the country believe that Americans view food safety as more important than they did a year ago, according to a recent poll commissioned by CMF&Z Public Relations, a Young & Rubicam affiliate. The study found that nearly all (97 percent) of the survey re spondents think food safety is an important issue with the American public. This is virtually the same response as received when the stu dy was conducted for the first time in 1993. In addition, the majority of editors (70 percent) responded that they believed the public views food safety as more important than a year ago. Editors cited the E.coli deaths of the previous year, coupled with publicity given the hormone BST and heavy television coverage of various food safety issues as rea sons the public’s interest has in creased in the past year. ‘This information tells us that food safety issues will continue to receive a high level of public and media interest,” said Carol Boden steiner, president of CMF&Z Pub lic Relations. ‘The food industry needs to understand this and be even more pro-active in providing information to help educate the public about the impact of new technology and efforts taken to safeguard the food supply.” The survey, conducted in May of 1994, questioned editors who cover food safety issues for the top 1,585 newspapers in the United States. With a response rate of nearly 10 percent (157 editors), this sample yields total results with a margin of no greater than ±8 percentage points (at the 95 percent confidence level). “The media keep a finger on the pulse of public opinion,” said Bodensteiner. “As a result, they offer a credible gauge of public in terest in food safety issues. Simul taneously, the American people receive much of their information about food safety from the media. So, we questioned both the edi tors’ perception of the public’s knowledge level of food safety as well as the media’s sources of in formation on food safety.” According to Bodensteiner, the 1994 survey was expanded to ex plore who editors believe the pub lic holds responsible for food safe ly in the United'S tales, whether or not the public believes the food delivery system works, and the ef fectiveness of various groups in ensuring a safe food supply. Addi tional survey highlights include: • How well informed is the American public on food safety is sues? The editors perceive the public as only average in their knowledge of food safety issues. Two-thirds of the editors (68 per cent) say the public is somewhat informed and 28 percent say the public is not very informed. • How concerned is the public about key food safety issues? The editors ranked seven food safely issues in terms of level of concern held by the public. They ranked bacteria in food, food handling, and pesticides in food as issues of the greatest concern to the public. Hormones and drug residues in food were ranked of moderate concern. Genetic engineering and irradiation of food were seen as being of the least concern. • Who is responsible for safety of the U.S. food supply? Editors responding to the survey said the public would pul the heaviest re sponsibility on the U.S govern- Say Food Safety Of Increasing Importance ment (88 percent) with food pro cessors ranking second (73 per cent). Supermarkets and producers were significantly fur ther down the list at 62 and 61 per cent, respectively. Probably not surprisingly, editors believe con sumers would see themselves as least responsible. • Does the food delivery system work when it comes to delivering a safe food supply? Six in 10 edi tors responding said the public would agree somewhat with this statement. None would disagree. Only 8 percent indicated the pub lic would strongly agree. • How are various groups doing in terms of ensuring a safe food supply? In assessing the track re cord of producers, food proces sors, government agencies and consumers, very few editors were willing to say any of these groups was doing an excellent job of en suring a safe food supply although they were more likely to say that consumers (38 percent) and food producers (35 percent) were doing a good or excellent job. The edi tors were more likely to say the government (42 percent) and food processors (36 percent) were do ing only a fair or poor job. • Who are the best communica tors with media on food safety is sues? The editors gave the award for best communicators to govern ment agencies and consumer groups with 60 percent and 54 per cent, respectively, saying they communicated well. Food proces sor groups receiving nods from only 20 percent, and food manu facturers with 36 percent, ranked the lowest in terms of being gaug ed best communicators by editors. Editors commented that those who sent them the most information were acknowledged as best com municators. Additionally, the edi tors felt that government agencies and universities were the most credible sources. • Whose information is most useful to the media in a food con troversy? Government agencies and universities received the high est scores with 77 percent each. The least useful sources of infor mation the editors cited were food processor groups (22 percent), food manufacturers (30 percent), and agricultural commodity groups (32 percent). Editors com mented that the latter groups’ in formation was frequently seen as biased. • How familiar are the media with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP)? Over whelmingly, the editors (91 per cent) were unfamiliar with these new operational standards which the U.S. government is phasing in to food production systems. • Who covers food safety is sues? As was indicated in the 1993 study, the “food safety beat” is covered by food editors (95 per cent), according to the survey. Other topics covered by editors who cover food safety issues are health (80 percent) and lifestyle (79 percent). Subjects least likely to be covered by editors who also cover food safety issues are sci ence and technology (21 percent), business (26 percent), and agricul ture (34 percent). According to CMF&Z officials, this information provides useful insight to the food industry that can assist future food safety com munications efforts. The survey reinforced the find ings of the 1993 survey citing bac teria and pesticides in food and food handling as of most concern to the public. However, while irra diation and genetic engineering were ranked of greater concern in 1993, these were not seen as of great concern in 1994. ‘These findings on food safety issues of concern, coupled with the fact that editors perceive the public as placing the greatest re sponsibility for food safety on the government and food processors, would indicate that there will be a close eye kept on developing pro cedures for controlling problems such as the Exoli outbreak,” said Bodensteiner. “But at the same time, the sur vey revealed that editors were not familiar with the technology that much of the new food safety and risk evaluation is based upon. When questioned about their familiarity with the Hazard Analy sis Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles, nearly 91 percent of the editors responded that they were unfamiliar with HACCP. “Since the public holds the government chiefly responsible for the safety of the food supply, these results would indicate the government and the food industry need to step up their efforts to in form and educate the public on HACCP principles. It adds up to a Bucks Hires Management Specialist NEW BRITAIN (Bucks Co.) Kristine Ramsey has recently been hired by the Bucks County Conservation District to work with farmers on developing nutri ent management plans. In addition, Ramsey will be working on five demonstration projects in the county. Pennsylva nia’s 319 program will provide cost-share funding. Through these demonstration projects, Ramsey intends to show the water quality benefits of streambank fencing, stabilized stream crossings for livestock and barnyard runoff control. She will also address proper utilization of nutrients from manure for field crops. She will be working closely with the extension service and Soil Conservation Service to de velop an overall nutrient manage ment program for farms. Ramsey is a native of Bucks County, resid New Faces In Wayne County HONESDALE (Wayne Co.) Wayne County Cooperative Ex tension is pleased to announce the addition of two new part-time em ployees. Lisa Olver and David Nebzy doski began work on July 1 as 4-H summer assistants. They will be assisting youth and adults with 4-H program activities throughout the summer. 4-H club leaders and members are encouraged to contact Dave or Lisa with questions about their projects or to request them to at tend club meetings or project tours. Lisa Olver is the daughter of Roger and Carole Olver. She will be starting her senior year at Penn Slate University this fall, where she is studying dairy and animal science. At Penn State, she is a Little Sister at Della Theta Sigma Fraternity and is also a member of the Coaly Agricultural Honor So ciety and the Block and Bridle Club. When Lisa graduates in good ‘sound science* story to tell, and one that could build consumer confidence in the food supply. “Also, we’re seeing that as ex panded education efforts are un dertaken, the public is becoming more comfortable with new tech nology such as irradiation,” Bodensteiner said. “With enough accurate information, the public sees the correlation between the technology and a safe food sup ply.” Responding to the survey, the media indicated that those organi- zations who sent them the most in formation government and consumer groups were often seen as the most useful. The sur vey results would indicate that while food processors and produc er groups have increased their ef forts to provide information to the media, by comparison, they are still not seen as proactive enough by the media. In addition, the survey looked at which group's information was seen as most useful by the media during a food controversy. The government and universities were seen as the most useful. This sup ports the results of the 1993 study, which cited government agencies as the most credible information Kris Ramsey, left, rev P'- ment plan with farm owner/operator WaUer Detweller. ing in Perkasie. She is a recent graduate of Delaware Valley Col lege of Science and Agriculture, with a bachelor’s in agronomy and environmental science. Bucks County farmers interest- Extension Office May, she hopes to begin work as a dairy nutrition consultant. Lisa grew up on a 50-cow dairy farm in Wayne County. As a re sult, agriculture has always been a major part of her life. She showed market Steers in 4-H for two years and showed Hcrford heifers in Penn State’s Little International Livestock Exposition. Lisa is try ing out for Penn State’s Dairy Judging Team. This summer, Lisa will be help ing out with the beef show at the Wayne County Fair and many other 4-H activities. She will be happy to speak to any 4-H club or group about their beef projects or other topics. Lisa hopes to make many new friends this summer Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 30, 1994-D5 sources. “This information reinforces the importance of including third party resources when presenting food safety information to the media,” said Bodensteiner. “It also underscores the need for those involved in the food indus try to be consistent and persistent in providing information to the media. Relationships with the media ned to be built over time and information provided on a re gular basis so that when a food controversy occurs, the media will know to whom they can look for reliable information. ' “The survey also confirms that food safety continues to be ‘inci dent driven’ in the media. That is, food ‘scares’ and events such as the introduction of new technolo gies lend to drive media coverage of food safely stories. This means that both the food industry and government must be well prepared and skilled in crisis communica tions, and must know how to use times of heightened attention to educate. ‘The American public and the food industry will both benefit from an improved communica tions effort,” Bodensteiner said. ed in developing nutrient manage ment plans or participating in de monstration projects should con tact Ramsey at the Soil Conservation Office at (215) 822-5840. and is looking forward to another successful Wayne County Fair. David Ncbzydoski is from Plea sant Mount. His parents are Dr. Henry and Jean Nebzydoski. Da vid will be a senior at the Univer sity of Scranton this fall, majoring in biology. David brings with him seven years of experience in the 4-H pro gram, having completed projects in capons, swine, and beef. He be lieves his swine projects have had the most influence on him and hopes his experience will be of value to the Wayne County 4-H’ers and youth. Contact Lisa or Dave at the Wayne County Cooperative Ex tension, 925 Court Street, (717) 253-5970, ext. 239.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers