Burke receives $235K grant to continue agricultural mediation programs
Debra Burke
By Cam Adams
The North Carolina Agricultural Mediation Program and the Farm Agricultural Resources and Mediation of Virginia have been two mainstays at Western Carolina University for a while now.
And through the next year, they鈥檒l be here to stay.
The programs鈥� executive director and College of Business professor Debra Burke received a $235,593 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund NCAMP and FARMVA.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a feather in Western鈥檚 cap,鈥� said Bob Holbert, the programs鈥� mediation director. 鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of Western Carolina for hosting this across two states. We鈥檝e had very successful programs in both states, so it鈥檚 a little point of pride for anyone that鈥檚 associated with Western Carolina.鈥�
FARMVA and NCAMP are mediation programs aimed at helping to settle disputes between USDA agencies in Virginia and North Carolina respectively and 鈥渢heir customers and clients, and help resolve disputes involving agricultural issues.鈥�
Congress authorized these state agricultural mediation programs in 1987 before NCAMP was instituted at 91热爆网 in 2007. The university started hosting FARMVA in 2013.
鈥淏enefits from mediations can touch all (kinds of) areas, and it can go for years and years if you restore a relationship between an agency and a farmer, and if you can help to keep that farmer in business, this can be something that would bring benefits to every citizen in the state,鈥� Holbert said.
Holbert expects the programs鈥� caseloads will expand in the upcoming year, giving him and several others involved at 91热爆网 more of a chance to do what they love.
鈥淚t is an exciting thing to be involved with. This is the best job I鈥檝e ever had in my life,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he role of a peacemaker is very rewarding. Sometimes it can be difficult getting there, but there are a lot of rewards if we do.
鈥淲e get to serve our university, we get to our farmers in our two states, and it鈥檚 a great gig.鈥�
