STATE — The Maine Agricultural Mediation Program (MAMP) will offer a 16-hour training program on Wednesdays in April for individuals interested in learning more about conflict resolution or becoming a MAMP co-mediator. The four program sessions will meet from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. online via Zoom on April 3, 10, and 17. The last session on April 24 will be held in person in Augusta.

This 16-hour training will introduce a range of topics including conflict theory, stress response, participant rapport, interventions, and ethics, and provide daily opportunities to practice and review case studies around the types of conflicts and issues that arise within Maine’s agricultural community. Upon completion of this training and a 40-hour basic mediation course, participants can apply to be a MAMP co-mediator and work with a wide range of issues and needs involving producers, loan holders, and members of the ag community.

Participants will learn from service providers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency, Land for Good, SCORE, Maine Farmland Trust, UMaine Extension as well as current MAMP Co-Mediators.

The sessions will be facilitated by Lucy Wess and Leslie Forstadt from MAMP and Extension. Karen Groat, UMaine at Augusta Libra Professor and mediation professional, will also provide guidance and instruction throughout the training.

For more information and to register, visit the event website. To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Lucy Wess, maineagmediation@maine.edu, 207.974.9637.