New York State Agricultural Mediation Program

Mediation for New York’s
Agricultural Community

Free and confidential services for a wide range of agricultural issues.

USDA-Certified
Est. 2001
All 62 NYS Counties
No or Low Cost Services
10,000+ Participants Served

Conflict Resolution for Agriculture

When conversations get hard, we help the people in New York’s agricultural community find a way through, together.

NYSAMP offers professional mediation and conflict resolution services tailored to the unique pressures of agricultural life: financial stress, family dynamics, workplace conflict, land transitions, and more.

Our mediators are trained to NYS court standards. We don’t take sides, make decisions, or issue rulings. We create the conditions for real dialogue and resolution.

🤝
Mediation
Structured, neutral facilitation for two or more parties to reach their own agreement.
💬
Conflict Coaching
One-on-one guidance to navigate difficult conversations and plan your approach.
🗣️
Facilitation
Group conversations and planning sessions managed by a neutral third party.
📋
Training & Outreach
Educational support for the agricultural community through trainings, workshops, and outreach designed to prevent and address conflict early.

We May Be Able to Help

If you are part of New York's agricultural community and facing a conflict or challenge, you may qualify for our services. Here are some of the issues we commonly work with:

USDA Determinations
Farm Debt & Credit
Neighbor Disputes including Right to Farm
Workplace
Family & Divorce
Farm Transitions
Leases
And More

Already in court? We may still be able to help.

Free & Accessible Services

NYSAMP services are free.

If you generate $1,000 or more per year from the sale of an agricultural product, you likely qualify for our services.

All services available remotelyAll services available in person and remotely via Zoom.

The mediators did a fantastic job helping us reach an agreement.

— NYSAMP Mediation Participant

I was finally heard and understood.

— NYSAMP Mediation Participant

I was surprised at how positive an experience it was.

— NYSAMP Mediation Participant

Simple. Confidential. Yours to Control.

Mediation puts you in the driver’s seat. No judge. No ruling. Just a path forward that everyone agrees to.

1
Reach Out
Contact us for a free, confidential initial conversation. No commitment required.
2
We Listen
We learn about your situation and discuss which service best fits your needs.
3
Meet Together
A trained mediator facilitates a structured conversation either in person or remotely.
4
Move Forward
You reach your own agreement. We help document it. You stay in control.
For Referral Sources
Are You a Referral Source?

Lenders, attorneys, extension agents, farm service agencies, and others working with New York's agricultural community: NYSAMP is a free resource for your clients. We’re happy to explain our services, provide materials, or arrange a training for your organization.

Learn With Us

NYSAMP offers customized workshops for agricultural stakeholders across New York State, including lenders, extension offices, farm service agencies, legal aid organizations, farm bureaus, young farmer groups, Annie's Project (women in agriculture), and many other ag-connected entities.

Our workshops are designed to raise awareness of mediation as a resource and supportive referral partner, build conflict resolution skills, and help you support the people you serve. Interested in bringing a workshop to your organization, region, or professional conference? Get in touch or join our mailing list using the button here to be notified when our next public workshop or webinar series launches.

Stay Informed
Get Notified About Upcoming Trainings

Sign up to hear about our winter webinar series, workshops, and other training opportunities as they become available.

Join Our Mailing List

We send occasional updates. No spam, ever.

Tools to Help You Navigate

Free workbooks, guides, and connections to support the New York agricultural community.

Free Workbook
Communication Skills for Farm Managers
Guidance on providing and receiving meaningful feedback that enables employees and farm managers to understand what’s working well and how they can improve.
Request a Free Printed Copy
Free Workbook
Farm Lease Discussion Guide
Designed to coach you on how to address common issues in a farmer/landowner lease partnership and help you develop a good working relationship through thoughtful planning.
Request a Free Printed Copy
Free Workbook
Communicating Through Your Farm Transition
An easy-to-access guide that synthesizes the most current research and best thinking on how to have productive and meaningful conversations, applied to farm transition planning.
Request a Free Printed Copy
Online Directory
NY Farm Transition Advisors Directory
Find service providers, legal aid, financial counselors, and other support resources across New York State to help with farm transitions and succession planning.
Visit Directory
Free Download
Referral Source One Pager
A printable overview of NYSAMP services for lenders, attorneys, extension agents, and others working with the agricultural community. Share it with colleagues.
Download PDF
Funding & Partnerships

NYSAMP is a federally-funded program that has served New York's agricultural community since 2001. We work closely with FarmNet, Farmers Supporting Farmers, and American Farmland Trust — organizations that share our commitment to farm families. NYSAMP works alongside the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to ensure farmers have access to NYSAMP services, and collaborates with agricultural support networks across all 62 counties. NYSAMP is a member of the Coalition of Agricultural Mediation Programs (CAMP), a national network of state mediation programs that has served the agricultural community for more than 30 years.

Your Questions, Answered

Still not sure if NYSAMP is right for your situation? Here are the questions we hear most often.

Referring someone to NYSAMP is simple. You can share our contact information directly , encourage them to call us at 1-866-669-7267, email questions@nysamp.org, or use the contact form on this page. If you’d like to discuss a potential referral first, we’re happy to talk through the situation with you confidentially.

The best way to find out is simply to call us. Our initial consultation is free, completely confidential, and there is no obligation to proceed. We’ll listen to your situation and give you an honest answer about whether mediation or another one of our services could help. If it’s not a fit, we’ll do our best to point you toward someone who can.

We can typically schedule an initial consultation within a few days of your first contact. From there, the timeline depends on the complexity of the situation and the availability of all parties.

Many mediations are resolved in one or two sessions of a few hours each. More complex situations may involve additional sessions. Unlike litigation, which can stretch for months or years, mediation is designed to move at a pace that works for the people involved.

NYSAMP services are free. There is no cost for the initial consultation.

You do not need a lawyer to participate in mediation, and in most cases parties come without legal representation. Mediation is specifically designed to be accessible , it is not an adversarial legal proceeding.

Attorneys are welcome to attend mediation sessions if all parties agree. NYSAMP would be happy to speak with your attorney to explain our services and the process. If a written agreement is reached, you may want a lawyer to review it before signing.

Mediation is voluntary, so we cannot force anyone to the table. However, we can help. Our conflict coaching service is designed for situations where you want to prepare for a difficult conversation or move forward constructively, even when the other party isn’t ready yet.

In some cases, a neutral outreach from NYSAMP can help open the door. We’re experienced at making that first contact in a way that feels safe and non-threatening.

It’s simple. Use the contact form below, call us at 1-866-669-7267, or email questions@nysamp.org. Someone from our team will be in touch within 3 business days. Please watch your spam and junk folder for our reply.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you reach out. Come as you are. We’ll help you make sense of your options from there.

Let’s Talk About Your Situation

Initial consultations are free and completely confidential. We’ll listen, explain your options, and never pressure you.

Phone1-866-669-7267
Emailquestions@nysamp.org
MailPO Box 215, Chatham, NY 12037
Service AreaServing all 62 New York State counties
Which workbook(s) would you like?