LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Community Mediation Association (MCMA) has been awarded a grant from the USDA to help fund the Michigan Agricultural Mediation Program.

The program offers free or low-cost mediation services to Michigan farmers to resolve their disputes outside of court. Farmers’ disputes covered by the grant can range from contract issues, estate and probate complications, adverse determinations by the USDA, bankruptcy and any other conflict they may face concerning their farm. The USDA is paying for 70 percent of the program with the $50,000 grant, with the other 30 percent coming from the MCMA, said MCMA Director Gabi Reihanian Havlicek. According to her, MCMA’s mission is to advocate for the 17 mediation centers and educate Michigan residents on the importance of mediation and restorative practices.

“The beautiful thing about MCMA is much of our costs are actually covered by our volunteer mediators, who are also highly trained,” Havlicek said. “On top of that, if mediators want to participate in the agriculture mediation program, they have to undergo additional training. We’re excited to bring a high level of professionalism to the agricultural mediation program.”

Specifically, mediators are required to complete 40 hours of approved general civil training or 48 hours of State Supreme Court-approved domestic training, practical experience supervised by seasoned mediators and continuing education. To mediate agricultural cases, the mediators also have to participate in 20 additional hours of advanced training every two years.

MCMA does have some overhead costs, some of which are paid for the Supreme Court Administrative Office (SCAO). Havlicek explained that the MCMA has only been around since 2019, but agricultural mediation in Michigan has been around in one form or another for the past 30 years. Generally, the program uses subcontractors who live throughout the state. Havlicek said most mediators live in the same community where the mediation occurs.

“We’ve found that this is very helpful for their mediation work,” Havlicek explained. “We were very fortunate that Director (Gary) McDowell wrote a letter of support on our behalf. The people at the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) are really happy to be working with us.”

McDowell stated that Michigan farmers work to feed families and communities 24 hours a day, seven days a week and “mediation provides an avenue for them to be an integral part of the conflict resolution process. MDARD is proud to support MCMA. I encourage farmers to look into mediation as a viable option for resolving conflict.”

MCMA, a nonprofit, works through 17 Community Dispute Resolution Program mediation centers located in different areas of the state. The centers also receive funding from the SCAO.

“Even though our centers charge a fee for their services, very often it waives the fee based on a person’s income,” Havlicek noted.  To learn more about the program, or to request a mediation to resolve a dispute, farmers should contact MCMA through its web page at www.micommunitymediation.org, by emailing micommunitymediationassoc@gmail.com, or by calling 800-616-7863.