May 12, 2020
Ag mediation can solve problems for farmers, agribusinesses
By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts:
- National Agricultural Law Center webinar to discuss benefits of agricultural mediation
- Webinar is May 20 at noon to 1 p.m. EST
- Register online at: https://bit.ly/35NhCqw
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Agricultural producers face many unique challenges when trying
to balance difficult decisions and important relationships. When stuck between a rock
and a hard place, agricultural mediation can offer assistance.
Agricultural mediation provides producers with a trained, impartial third party equipped to assist in the problem-solving required for agribusinesses, while maintaining relationships with employees, neighbors or business partners.
The National Agricultural Law Center will host a webinar discussing agricultural mediation May 20 at noon EDT/11 a.m. CDT. The webinar is free to attend and will provide an overview of agricultural mediation, its benefits, what to expect from a mediator and much more.
“Operating an agricultural enterprise in today’s uncertain economic climate is both operationally challenging and personally taxing,” said Daniel Kos, Assistant Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for the New York State Unified Court System. “Mediation has shown to be a helpful tool when making plans for the future or managing important relationships.”
Kos also oversees the New York State Agricultural Mediation Program which annually provides services in more than 750 cases. For details on this program, visit https://www.nysamp.com/.
The webinar will be presented by Kos, along with Matt Strassberg, director of the Environmental Mediation Center, and Lucy Pauley, Coordinator of the Wyoming Agriculture and Natural Resource Mediation Program.
“Producers and lenders continue to face some serious headwinds, and COVID-19 has created an even tougher financial picture. In the months ahead, agricultural mediation is one issue that will be encountered, especially in states that have mandatory agricultural mediation requirements in their state law,” said Harrison Pittman, Director of the NALC. “Matt, Daniel and Lucy are well-known in the ag mediation field. They understand the particulars of agriculture mediation and the knowledge and skillsets required to practice in this area.”
Register online for the webinar: https://bit.ly/35NhCqw.
For more information on the National Agricultural Law Center, visit https://nationalaglawcenter.org/ or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The Center works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The Center is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact 479-575-4607 as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact:
Sarah Cato
National Agricultural Law Center
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
sscato@uark.edu
870-815-9035