Social media bring organizations out of the shadows

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.

Mad cows and pink slime: Transparency in a crisis

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.

School yourself on water issues

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.

Find words that work

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.

Immigration crackdown steps into the kitchen

With a tougher stance on employers who hire illegal immigrants, enforcement agents are placing restaurants under more scrutiny. About 20 percent of chefs and cooks are illegal aliens and 28 percent of dishwashers are undocumented immigrants.

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Alabama immigration law blamed for drop in construction jobs

Alabama’s construction industry is losing jobs faster than almost every state in the nation, and industry experts say some of the losses are due to the state’s strict new immigration law. The state’s one-month loss of 3.2 percent, or 2,700 construction jobs was the second highest in the country as crews and laborers leave the state. Continue reading.

Georgia restaurants report labor shortages after passage of anti-illegal immigration law

Georgia restaurants are reporting labor shortages following the passage of the state’s tough new immigration enforcement law, with nearly half of the 523 restaurateurs across Georgia who participated in an electronic survey said they are having trouble finding workers.

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Immigration and Florida’s economy

Despite the mindset that the U.S. is being overwhelmed with immigrants, the current rates of legal and illegal immigrants are well within historical norms. Although migrant workers tend to have a positive impact on economies, states incur costs in areas such as criminal justice, education and medical care. Continue reading.

Labor supply tops concerns at USDA outlook forum

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack called on Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform to prevent crops from rotting in the fields because growers lack workers.

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After 2012 elections, reform might be possible

In an election year, an issue such as immigration acts as fodder for politicians to berate opponents and mobilize supporters. No comprehensive reform will happen this year, but the article outlines the proposals we’ll see in 2013.

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