UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education

Social media bring organizations out of the shadows

laurabernheim — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:18:36 +0000

It’s common to use Facebook or Twitter to spread your organization’s marketing campaigns and slogans — but that doesn’t mean anyone is listening.

Social networking sites can be great way for organizations to connect with stakeholders, but only if the organization understands how stakeholders use the platforms. Continue reading.

Travis Arp: Tell your own story — before someone else does it for you

laurabernheim — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:38:44 +0000

Transparency is a growing concern by consumers and is becoming a larger factor when making purchasing decisions. This has been no more apparent than the recent debacle the meat industry has found itself in with Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB), or more cordially known by the media as “pink slime.”

Briefly, LFTB is a beef product derived from high fat trim taken off the carcass during fabrication. Continue reading.

Regional forums discuss community strengths, weaknesses after BP oil spill

laurabernheim — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:04:43 +0000

More than two years after the BP oil spill, researchers are still trying to address the environmental, economic, and emotional health concerns in Gulf communities since the spill. With PIE Center director Tracy Irani moderating, researchers met with people affected by the spill in Gainesville, Apalachicola, Cantonment and Santa Rosa Beach, using a video link to connect the meetings simultaneously. Continue reading.

Mad cows and pink slime: Transparency in a crisis

laurabernheim — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:47:58 +0000

Fresh off the pink slime circus and concerned about the safety of meat, consumers continue to put the entire supply chain from farm to supermarkets under intense scrutiny.

The use of lean, finely textured beef (LFTB), as noted by blogger and petitioner Bettina Elias Siegel, is “one of those practices that can thrive only in obscurity.” But since the curtain has been pulled back to reveal the reality of ground beef, consumers have quickly and strongly voiced their displeasure. Continue reading.

Darrell Smith: Ag industry protects, conserves more than you think

laurabernheim — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:01:46 +0000

Those of us that are connected to Florida Agriculture realize the industry’s economic significance to our state. Now providing more than a $100 billion impact and employing nearly one million people, the industry is unmistakably a critical factor in maintaining a healthy Florida. Continue reading.

School yourself on water issues

laurabernheim — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:08:14 +0000

At least two UF/IFAS county Extension services are hosting “Water Schools” this spring, which are designed to educate the public and community leaders about current issues and future concerns about local water quality, quantity and conservation.

In Polk County, the seven-week symposium includes field trips that illustrate the path water takes from the aquifer to becoming reclaimed water. Continue reading.

Tatiana Borisova: Tailor outreach efforts to specific audience

laurabernheim — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:59:33 +0000

Are people interested in learning about water resources? If the answer is yes, what topics most interest them? What sources of information do they rely upon? Results of a recent (2008 – 2009) survey of Floridians offer some insights.

The survey results indicated significant educational opportunities for outreach organizations. Continue reading.

Find words that work

laurabernheim — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:33:01 +0000

Synthesizing years of experiences and piles of social research, Water Words That Work introduces conservation and pollution control organizations to marketing techniques designed to professionalize and modernize communications.

With seminars and workshops across the country, founder Eric Eckl lays out a six-step method that includes consumer behavior, visual elements and choosing the most effective words, phrases and messages. Continue reading.

Brewster Bevis: E-Verify isn’t the cure-all for Florida’s immigration woes

laurabernheim — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:05:54 +0000

No one disagrees that America’s immigration system is broken. However, ask 10 different people how it should be fixed and you will get 10 different answers. More than likely, each of those 10 solutions will contain a valid “fix” for a portion of our nation’s immigration woes. Continue reading.

Basford: Immigration reform mired in emotional reactions

laurabernheim — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:11:36 +0000

When it comes to immigration reform, Adam Basford says he has a “silver bullet solution” —if he can ever take the gun out of its holster, that is.

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s national affairs coordinator told University of Florida students that the polarizing and emotional nature of immigration laws and reform make it nearly impossible for politicians to agree on a solution. Continue reading.