What are the best practices for emergency planning in the food and agriculture sector?

The food and agriculture sector is vital for the health and economy of any nation. However, it also faces many potential threats, such as natural disasters, animal and plant diseases, food contamination, and bioterrorism. Therefore, emergency planning is essential to protect this sector and ensure its resilience and recovery. In this article, you will learn some of the best practices for emergency planning in the food and agriculture sector, based on the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

1 Identify hazards and risks

The first step in emergency planning is to identify the hazards and risks that could affect the food and agriculture sector, both internally and externally. This includes assessing the likelihood, severity, and impact of each hazard, as well as the vulnerabilities and capabilities of the sector. Some of the common hazards and risks are weather events, floods, droughts, fires, earthquakes, landslides, pests, diseases, chemical spills, power outages, cyberattacks, sabotage, and theft.

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Peter White

Founder of NewWorldSafety
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Have a direct conversation with your municipal emergency response organizations to determine their capabilities and/or limitations Never assume they are responding a Hazmat team, high angle rescue team, confined space rescue team or industrial extrication teams. No two departments are created equally. Police, Fire and EMS rely on a tax base for funding. As a corporation you must be ready to gap any delivery shortfalls you require in-house.

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Bill Brazeau,CRSP

Safety Professional
(edited)
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As part of identifying hazards and risks, also take into account your business continuity plan and if it is up to-date. A plan is more than just a document with check boxes, it is a living document that has to be continually up-dated, practiced and measured for effectiveness. By doing this on a regular/scheduled basis, can be part of your hazard & risk assessment.

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2 Develop plans and procedures

The second step in emergency planning is to develop plans and procedures that outline the roles and responsibilities, goals and objectives, strategies and tactics, resources and equipment, communication and coordination, and evaluation and improvement of the emergency response. These plans and procedures should be based on the principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Response Framework (NRF), which provide a common framework for managing incidents of any size and scope. The plans and procedures should also be tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of the food and agriculture sector, such as the types of products, facilities, operations, and regulations involved.

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Bill Brazeau,CRSP

Safety Professional
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Business continuity is a must for every emergency plan. By taking this step will allow you to have a "back-up" plan for when the normal day of business is interrupted. A good example of this was during the Ontario Covid shut down but a winter storm or community disaster is just as likely to occur. During this business had to close, staff was scrambling to set up work from home stations and communications was greatly impacted as business relied on the office staff to manage calls & clients. By having a plan to deal with staff shortages and maintaining the business remotely may have saved some businesses from closing their businesses down.

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3 Train and exercise

The third step in emergency planning is to train and exercise the plans and procedures to ensure that the staff, partners, and stakeholders are prepared and capable of responding to an emergency. Training and exercise should cover the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the emergency response, such as incident command, risk assessment, hazard mitigation, resource management, public information, and safety. Training and exercise should also be realistic, relevant, and regular, to test and validate the plans and procedures, identify and correct gaps and weaknesses, and enhance the performance and confidence of the participants.

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Bill Brazeau,CRSP

Safety Professional
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All staff need to be trained in the emergency plan. Saying this not all staff need to be trained to the same level. As part of the emergency plan, job tasks need to be identified as appossed to assigning a task to an individual. Situations change which could displace individuals, but by identifing the task will allow you to identifiy what is needed to ensure the task stays intact.

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4 Coordinate and collaborate

The fourth step in emergency planning is to coordinate and collaborate with other entities that are involved or affected by the emergency response, such as federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners. Coordination and collaboration should aim to establish and maintain relationships, share information and resources, align goals and strategies, and resolve conflicts and challenges. Coordination and collaboration should also leverage the existing networks and platforms that support the food and agriculture sector, such as the Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council (FASCC), the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN), and the National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps (NAHERC).

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5 Educate and engage

The fifth step in emergency planning is to educate and engage the public and the customers about the importance and benefits of emergency preparedness and response for the food and agriculture sector. Education and engagement should aim to raise awareness, increase trust, promote best practices, and solicit feedback and input. Education and engagement should also use various methods and channels, such as social media, websites, newsletters, brochures, posters, webinars, workshops, and events, to reach and influence different audiences and segments.

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6 Review and update

The sixth and final step in emergency planning is to review and update the plans and procedures, the training and exercise, the coordination and collaboration, and the education and engagement, based on the lessons learned, the changes in the environment, and the feedback from the stakeholders. Review and update should aim to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of the emergency response, as well as to adapt to the evolving needs and expectations of the food and agriculture sector. Review and update should also be conducted periodically and systematically, using data, metrics, and indicators to measure and monitor the progress and outcomes of the emergency planning process.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the best practices for emergency planning in the food and agriculture sector?

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1 Identify hazards and risks

2 Develop plans and procedures

3 Train and exercise

4 Coordinate and collaborate

5 Educate and engage

6 Review and update

7 Here’s what else to consider

Emergency Management

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What are the best practices for emergency planning in the food and agriculture sector?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify hazards and risks

2 Develop plans and procedures

3 Train and exercise

4 Coordinate and collaborate

5 Educate and engage

6 Review and update

7 Here’s what else to consider

Emergency Management

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