Over the weekend, the news of an attempted bomb threat in New York’s Times Square broke. Thankfully, this plot was foiled before it could come to pass and authorities are now releasing details to the public. Among the potentially explosive items found in the abandoned vehicle were eight bags of fertilizer.
At presstime, I haven’t heard if these fertilizer bags came from your average home and garden store or not, but I’m certain that some official somewhere in America will once again cast a suspicious eye toward their local ag retailer and wonder if similar products could have come from there. This is why dealerships and cooperatives need to continue to be diligent about whom they sell fertilizer to. The industry must avoid the bad press it received in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing at all costs.
Later this week, members of our staff and several industry representatives will take part in the annual Environmental Respect Awards judging. This program, sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection, honors those ag retailers that have shown exceptional fortitude in their efforts to protect and safeguard their local environments, communities, and customers. These dealerships have great stories to tell and are happy to share them with our judging panel and CropLife readers.
But most of these retailers should be doing more to spread the good word about their good deeds. In the Environmental Respect Awards form, there is this simple question: “Within the past two years, have you taken a local reporter, editor, or broadcaster on a tour of your facility.” Out of the 80 or so entries in the 2010, less than half (43%) answered this question “yes.” Unfortunately, this is on par with prior years.
If you think your retail operation is exceptional in its efforts to serve and protect the local community, you need to share this positive story with John Q. Public. Strongly consider bringing in a local reporter or news crew and show them how your facility is helping, not hurting, its neighbors.
Take it from an old-time journalist – a good story is always worth telling. The more positive stories the industry shares, the better our public perception will be in the long run.
