06 March 2026
Family farms mean more than just property, land and livestock: they represent a livelihood, a home, and often a multigenerational identity. This means that when disputes arise, it is all the more important to find an effective resolution.
How Can Mediation Help Farmers?
Most businesses – agricultural or otherwise – face disputes occasionally. In farming families, disputes can be might include a difference of opinion following a death; a misremembered agreement; a promised inheritance not being followed through; the dissolution of a partnership; disagreements over landlord and tenant agreements; contractual and building disputes.
In farming families, disputes can be particularly complex as many agreements are made orally, and partnerships may not be formalised in a written contract.
In Court, this may lead to costly and drawn-out litigation, but a Mediator can help farming families to discuss the issue in a constructive manner.
Mediation is less confrontational and seeks a solution with which all parties are happy, and the Mediator can address underlying, longer-term issues which may have impacted the dispute.
When Should I Seek Help?
If you are facing a dispute and the disagreement is threatening the business or the family dynamic, it is important to seek legal advice so that your Solicitor can arrange mediation as soon as possible. This should allow you to find a resolution without escalating legal costs, and allows for early intervention before the situation becomes untenable.
For specialist mediation and agricultural legal advice, JCP Solicitors can help. Contact Richard Howells, Director and Head of Inheritance and Trusts Disputes on 01267 248981 (tel:01267 248981) or richard.howells@jcpsolicitors.co.uk
