A low cost, voluntary, confidential way to keep Maryland agriculture productive. An expressed struggle between two or more interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resouces, and interference from the other party in achieving their goals. Understanding what causes conflict and how we choose to deal with it affects how we feel about the process and the people involved. Conflict can be destructive or constructive.
Conflict offers opportunity for growth and better decision-making concerning a shared problem.
Participants craft the solution themselves and are generally more committed than when a judge or hearing officer imposes a solution. By attempting to resolve a dispute through mediation, you do not give up your legal rights to file a formal complaint or grievance. Mediation tends to mend or improve the overall relationship between the parties because the focus is largely on the disputants' interests, while litigation focuses on positions. Mediation can allow the parties to develop a more flexible or creative solution than is generally possible in court or formal hearings and appeals. Mediation is confidential.