Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is visiting with the operations and communications manager at the Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program, Cheyenne Sparks, about how OAMP can help farmers, ranchers, and federal agencies work together to reach realistic, durable solutions to the challenges they face.
“The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program is ready and willing to help all producers that have discrepancies that are conflicting and that are making it to where they cannot operate smoothly within their agricultural production,” Sparks said. “We are also here to help lenders and any USDA agencies.”
The OAMP is in place to help ag producers mediate any conflict at no charge.
“What we have done predominantly in the past is we have mediated USDA cases,” Sparks said. “Things that have maybe to do with, maybe you have applied for a program and were denied. Maybe you have a loan with the USDA of some kind, no matter which agency within the USDA, and you defaulted on that loan, or it was accelerated. We mediate all kinds of cases like that.”
With the 2023 Farm Bill, Sparks said the OAMP was able to expand its caseload, allowing the program to offer mediation for more avenues of conflict, including neighbor disputes.
“We have done contract leases,” Sparks said. “Anything that has to do with agriculture in the state of Oklahoma- we will mediate it.”
To attend mediation, Sparks said producers are not required to have any legal counsel, but they are welcome to bring a lawyer if they desire to do so. Mediation is completely voluntary, Sparks added.
“Our mediator is there as an unbiased party to facilitate conversations and make sure that we can uphold these relationships that you have, whether it is with your neighbor or with family, with family farm transitions, or with the USDA agencies that you have grown to depend on within your operation,” Sparks said. “We are there as the unbiased party to facilitate and make sure that everybody’s voices are heard. You can come to a settlement, or you don’t. It is completely up to you. There are no strings attached.”
Sparks said producers with questions can reach them by calling 405-521-3934 at any time or emailing mediation@ag.ok.gov
“Give us a ring, and we will be able to talk you through it and see if mediation is the right avenue for you,” Sparks said.
To visit the Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program’s website, click here.
