Crisis Management Guide

Be prepared to handle emergencies, weather events, and unexpected situations at your farmers market.

Emergency Preparedness

Having a crisis management plan helps you respond quickly and effectively to protect your market community.

Create Your Plan Now: Don't wait for a crisis to happen. Develop and communicate your emergency procedures during calm times.

Types of Market Crises

Weather Events

  • Severe storms
  • Extreme heat/cold
  • Flooding
  • Snow/ice

Health Emergencies

  • Product recalls
  • Foodborne illness
  • Medical emergencies
  • Pandemic response

Operational Issues

  • Power outages
  • Website downtime
  • Payment failures
  • Data breaches

Community Issues

  • Grower conflicts
  • Customer complaints
  • Theft/vandalism
  • Protests/disruptions

Weather-Related Closures

Decision Timeline

  1. 72 Hours Before Market
    • Monitor weather forecasts
    • Alert growers of potential issues
    • Review contingency plans
  2. 48 Hours Before Market
    • Make preliminary closure decision
    • Notify growers if canceling
    • Prepare customer communications
  3. 24 Hours Before Market
    • Send closure notifications
    • Update website and social media
    • Handle order modifications

Communication Steps

Closing the Market

  1. Update market status in LocallyGrown admin
  2. Send bulk email to all customers
  3. Post on website homepage
  4. Update social media channels
  5. Send text alerts (if available)
  6. Contact local media if needed

Sample Closure Message:
"Due to severe weather forecasts, [Market Name] will be closed this [day]. All orders will be automatically refunded within 24-48 hours. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you next week. Stay safe!"

Product Recall Procedures

Immediate Actions

0-2 Hours

  • Identify affected products
  • Contact grower immediately
  • Remove products from sale
  • Document all details

2-6 Hours

  • Identify customers who purchased
  • Send recall notifications
  • Post public notice
  • Coordinate with health department

6-24 Hours

  • Process refunds
  • Follow up with customers
  • Update grower status
  • Review procedures

Customer Notification Template

Subject: Important Product Recall - Immediate Action Required

Dear [Customer Name],

We are contacting you because you recently purchased [Product Name] from [Grower Name] at [Market Name].

This product is being recalled due to [reason].

Please take the following actions immediately:

  1. Do not consume this product
  2. Dispose of the product safely
  3. Contact us if you have experienced any health issues

A full refund has been processed to your account. If you have questions, please contact us immediately at [phone] or [email].

Technical Emergencies

Website/System Downtime

  1. Immediate Response
    • Verify the issue
    • Contact LocallyGrown support
    • Switch to backup procedures
  2. Customer Communication
    • Post on social media
    • Send text alerts if possible
    • Prepare phone/email responses
  3. Backup Operations
    • Use paper order forms
    • Accept phone orders
    • Process payments manually

Payment Processing Failures

Backup Payment Methods

  • Cash and checks at market
  • Mobile payment apps (Venmo, etc.)
  • Manual credit card processing
  • Invoice for later payment

Health and Safety Emergencies

Medical Emergency at Market

Always Call 911 First for serious medical emergencies. Market staff should not attempt to provide medical care beyond basic first aid.

  1. Call 911 immediately
  2. Clear area for emergency responders
  3. Assign someone to meet ambulance
  4. Document incident details
  5. Follow up with involved parties

Pandemic/Disease Response

Safety Measures

  • Implement spacing requirements
  • Require masks if needed
  • Provide hand sanitizer
  • Limit market capacity

Operational Changes

  • Pre-order only system
  • Curbside pickup
  • Extended market hours
  • Contactless payments

Communication During Crisis

Key Principles

  • Be Timely: Communicate as soon as you have accurate information
  • Be Clear: Use simple, direct language
  • Be Honest: Don't minimize serious issues
  • Be Helpful: Provide specific action steps
  • Be Consistent: Same message across all channels

Communication Channels Priority

  1. Email blast - Reaches all registered customers
  2. Website banner - Visible to all visitors
  3. Text messages - For urgent notifications
  4. Social media - Quick updates
  5. Phone calls - For critical individual contacts
  6. Local media - For community-wide issues

Post-Crisis Recovery

Immediate Follow-Up

  • Assess impact on growers and customers
  • Process refunds or credits as needed
  • Document all actions taken
  • Thank those who helped

Long-Term Recovery

Rebuilding Trust

  • Communicate improvements made
  • Share prevention measures
  • Be transparent about challenges
  • Celebrate market resilience

Learning and Improvement

  1. Conduct post-crisis review
  2. Update emergency procedures
  3. Train staff on lessons learned
  4. Share experiences with other markets

Emergency Contact List

Maintain an up-to-date list of emergency contacts:

Essential Contacts

  • LocallyGrown Support: [Contact info]
  • Market Insurance: Policy number and agent
  • Local Emergency Services: Non-emergency numbers
  • Health Department: Food safety contact
  • Key Growers: Cell phones for leaders
  • Venue/Property Manager: After-hours contact
  • Legal Counsel: If available
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