High Desert Food & Farm Alliance Awards Ranching for Profit Scholarships

High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA) is proud to announce that three Central Oregon producers have been awarded scholarships to attend the nationally recognized Ranching for Profit program this October. Made possible through the generosity of private donors, these scholarships are an investment in the long-term success of the region’s ranching community.

Ranching for Profit is an internationally respected business management program that helps farmers and ranchers improve profitability, strengthen decision-making, and build sustainable operations long term.

HDFFA’s Agricultural Support Team works to create opportunities for producers to learn from one another and apply new ideas that strengthen local agriculture. The organization hopes participants will bring back new tools, strategies, and insights to share with fellow producers, multiplying the impact of these scholarships across Central Oregon.

Scholarship Recipients

Courtney Riding – 3R Livestock and Land (Redmond)

Courtney Riding operates 3R Livestock and Land alongside her husband and two teenage sons, raising pigs, goats, and chickens for both live sale and meat production. Courtney has completed HDFFA’s Thriving Entrepreneurs program, participated in the Growing Together Cohort, and received an On-Farm Efficiency Grant.

HDFFA has worked closely with Courtney and her family as they transformed what began as a 4-H hobby farm into a growing commercial operation. “In the next three to five years, we hope to have all of our enterprises at a neutral or profitable financial situation or discontinued,” Courtney said. “I no longer want to work to subsidize my passion, I just want to work in my passion.”

Kate Grace – Lost Grace Farm (Bend)

Kate Grace owns Lost Grace Farm in Bend, where she raises quail for eggs, grows mixed vegetables for wholesale markets, and offers educational programming that connects the community with local agriculture. With ambitious plans to integrate sheep and bison into her operation over the next several years, Kate has developed a clear vision for the long-term success of her business.

“This program is a huge step this farm needs to move from a small start-up into a fully operational business that will last for decades and beyond as a functioning food system for the local community,” Kate said.

Zoey Oquist – The Crow’s Croft (Redmond)

Zoey Oquist co-owns The Crow’s Croft, a rapidly growing ranch recognized for its pastured pork and handcrafted lard-based products. Zoey and her partner currently balance full-time off-farm careers while building their agricultural business and see Ranching for Profit as a critical step toward making the ranch a full-time livelihood.

“One of my biggest goals is to transition from balancing a full-time career and farming to making our farm my full-time career,” Zoey said. “I’ve learned that it takes more than hard work. It takes understanding the financial side of ranching, making sound management decisions, and using our time and resources wisely.”

Investing in Central Oregon Agriculture

These scholarships were made possible entirely through the generosity of private donors who believe in the future of local agriculture. By reducing financial barriers to advanced business education, HDFFA is helping producers build stronger, more resilient operations that contribute to a thriving regional food economy.

HDFFA’s Agricultural Support programs provide farmers and ranchers with business education, technical assistance, peer learning opportunities, and strategic investments that help local agricultural businesses grow and succeed. As federal funding for these programs continues to decline, private philanthropy has become increasingly important to ensuring local producers have access to the resources they need.

Community members who want to strengthen the future of Central Oregon agriculture are invited to support HDFFA’s Agricultural Support work. Donations help provide scholarships, business training, on-farm technical assistance, and educational programs that equip farmers and ranchers to build resilient businesses while keeping local food production strong for generations to come.

To learn more or make a contribution, visit hdffa.org/donate.

This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.