mediation

We are excited to announce that the Ohio Farm Resolution Services (OFRS) has been recertified by the USDA and will begin its second year of operation.  OFRS is part of the USDA’s certified mediation program which provides the opportunity for each state to establish an agricultural mediation service.  This program, established under the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987, provides a cost-effective, voluntary, and confidential alternative for resolving a wide range of issues affecting the agricultural community.

OFRS primarily offers three key services. First, we facilitate mediation between parties in disputes, with the goal of finding a resolution before the costly and time-consuming process of litigation. For example, we can help neighboring landowners resolve boundary disputes or assist business owners in negotiating a buyout for a departing partner.

Second, we provide mediation for farmers and landowners who may be appealing a USDA or ODA determination.  For instance, if a farmer is denied eligibility for a commodity support program, we can facilitate a face-to-face discussion between USDA/FSA and the farmer to provide them an opportunity to try to work through the issues in an attempt to reinstate eligibility.

Our third service, a more non-traditional but equally important offering, involves assisting farm families with farm transition planning. This service is especially helpful for families who need guidance to get started or have encountered obstacles in their planning process. We've sat down with many farm families at their kitchen tables to discuss and navigate their farm transition plans.

OFRS can address a wide range of issues, including:

• Farm transition planning
• Family communication and management succession
• Business entities/ business practices
• Energy leases
• Farm leases
• Zoning
• Land Use
• Farm labor issues
• Neighbor issues
• Lender/creditor
• Property disputes
• Farmland drainage
• Crops/Agronomics
• USDA/ODA appeals
• Estate disputes

If you're interested in OFRS services, feel free to reach out via email at moore.301@osu.edu or call us at 614-247-8260. Thanks to USDA funding, we can offer our services at a minimal fee, typically just enough to cover travel and out-of-pocket expenses.