A. The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program under the direction of the Agriculture Mediation Board as established by subsection D of this section, is authorized to provide mediation services to all individuals, businesses, and state and federal agencies that are engaged in production agriculture, and agriculturally- or environmentally-related activities. The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program shall operate in accord with the Agriculture Credit Act of 1987, as amended, 7 CFR 785, and applicable state and federal laws.

B. The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program shall be formed as an independent entity. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry shall provide office space for the Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, in cooperation with appropriate entities such as the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, is authorized to develop and implement a plan to increase public awareness of the Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program. The plan shall be designed to provide information about the program to producers, agriculture lenders, and others which may have reason to utilize the services. The plan may include but not be limited to the following:

1. Providing informational literature to every county extension office in the state;

2. Providing information about the program to agricultural lenders in this state by any feasible means, including but not limited to electronic media;

3. Securing such public service announcements from broadcast media as is feasible;

4. Cooperating with and providing information to court officials; and

5. Such other measures as may be calculated to develop a greater awareness of the existence and benefits of the Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program.

C. The program is primarily funded by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture and may provide mediation free of charge to the participants. The State Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, pursuant to the grant recertification provisions at 7 CFR 785 and this section, may provide contributions or allocations in support of the Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program, as available. The program may seek supporting contributions from other stakeholders in support of its operations.

D. The Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program shall establish and maintain an Agriculture Mediation Board whose members are engaged in or serving agriculture. The Board shall be comprised of a five-person Executive Committee and a fifteen-member Advisory Committee. The five-person Executive Committee shall be comprised of one designee each from the two largest general farm organizations of this state, one designee from the largest farm commodity group of this state, one designee appointed by the Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, and one designee appointed by the Chair of the House of Representatives Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. The Advisory Committee shall only be advisory in capacity and comprised of members drawn from the following categories and appointed by the Executive Committee:

1. Each of the United States Department of Agriculture agencies;

2. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry;

3. The Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension, including IFMAPS;

4. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission;

5. An Oklahoma attorney;

6. Two Oklahoma farmers or ranchers;

7. A representative from an agriculture banking institution;

8. A representative from the Oklahoma Conference of Churches;

9. A mediator from the federal, state or private sector; and

10. Such other members from public entities or private organizations as may be needed.

E. The Agriculture Mediation Board shall adopt such procedures as may be necessary for the management of the program.

F. The program will maintain a roster of qualified mediators to assist in servicing requests for mediation.

G. Mediation communications and mediation sessions under this section shall be confidential pursuant to the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act, 5 U.S.C. 574, and this section.

Added by Laws 2000, SB 1078, c. 236, § 1, emerg. eff. May 24, 2000; Amended by Laws 2002, HB 2068, c. 60, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 2002 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2004, SB 1163, c. 216, § 1 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2010, SB 1956, c. 342, § 1 (superseded document available).