Oregon Pasture Network
Mentorship Program
Are you a young or beginning farmer seeking guidance?
The OPN Mentorship Program is an opportunity for young and beginning livestock farmers to gain practical experience, obtain access to expertise, and build confidence to support the success of their farming operations.
Are you an experienced farmer wanting to support the success of Oregon’s farming future?
OPN Mentors have the opportunity to support the success of Oregon’s next generation of livestock farmers by sharing their wisdom, enhancing their leadership skills, and contributing to stronger, more resilient local food systems.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Oregon Pasture Network mentorship program is for young or beginning livestock farmers who seek personalized guidance from an experienced pasture-based farmers and business owners regarding grazing management practices, pasture health and forage diversity, humane livestock management, and business development skills.
Both mentees and mentors will receive complimentary access to the Fall 2025 OPN online class series.
The mentorship program requires a six (6) month commitment, from June 2025 to November 2025. Space is limited to three (3) mentees.
Applications for the OPN mentorship program open in May 2025!
MENTEE INFORMATION
Eligibility for Mentees
- Eligibility is open to all pasture-based farmers and ranchers in Oregon.
Ideal candidates are:
- Currently raising livestock on pasture
- Early in their farming or ranching career
- Operating as a business, or have plans to run their operation as a business (i.e. not a homestead or growing for personal use only)
- Eager to learn and open to new ideas
- Committed to engaging with their mentor at least once per month via a phone or video call, and hosting their mentor for at least one site visit
* A portion of the $100.00 enrollment fee ($25.00) will be applied to one annual membership to O.P.E.N. Group (this is for non-OPN members only).
Mentee Benefits
- Valuable opportunity to learn practical skills from an experienced farmer
- Learn how to improve practices in business, livestock, and pasture/grazing management systems
- Receive hands-on guidance, problem solving, and support
- Accomplish farm/business goals tied to long-term profitability or viability
- Build relationships in the farming community!
MENTOR INFORMATION
Eligibility for Mentors
- A competent Oregon-based farmer and business owner who is an OPN member in good standing and has been operating a farm and raising livestock on pasture for 10 or more years
- Genuine interest in promoting the success of the next generation of farmers
- Demonstrated commitment to animal welfare, soil health, growing healthy, nutrient-dense, and diverse pastures, and initiating and maintaining conservation projects on their land
- Willingness and ability to teach, guide, and support mentees
- Commitment to engage with your mentee at least once per month via a phone or video call and performing at least one site visit to the mentee’s farm
Mentor Benefits
- Share your wealth of accumulated knowledge and expertise
- Help young and beginning farmers avoid pitfalls
- Support the success of Oregon’s agricultural future
- Develop leadership skills through supportive guidance and education
- Establish meaningful relationship with new and beginning farmers
- Receive a stipend of $1,000.00, plus travel expense reimbursements
How does the OPN mentorship program work?
The Oregon Pasture Network mentorship program is for farmers who seek personalized guidance from an experienced pasture based farmer and business owner regarding grazing management practices, pasture health and forage diversity, humane livestock management and/or best business practices.
The program is open to new and beginning farmers, as well as already established farmers in Oregon. There will also be supplemental sessions offered by outside experts and OPN on marketing pasture based products, relevant funding resources, land conservation strategies and other related technical assistance opportunities.
What is the goal of this program?
Experienced farmers have a deep desire to give back and young or beginning farmers that have the interest to learn directly from someone who has done what they are trying to do. That is the explicit goal of this program – facilitate an information exchange in practice.
The Oregon Pasture Network is committed to expanding pasture based agriculture across the state of Oregon for small family farms. We want to help producers improve livestock and grazing practices, so farms can build community food resilience, raise awareness of the benefits of pastured food products, create local jobs, and stay economically viable during uncertain times.
By offering a mentorship program to pastured producers, we create the ability to provide direct and customized technical assistance to small farmers. There are OPN farmers who are beginners, some are very well-seasoned, and some are right in the middle. We believe that all farmers can benefit from direct mentorship, however our hope is that the farmers who have been farming for a few years, are motivated to improve their practices, have specific business goals, and are interested in being mentored, will apply for this valuable opportunity.
As the program grows, it is our goal to continue to provide small farmers with technical assistance, education and resources to help improve their business and farming practices, and ultimately improve their products.
Expected Outcomes
Outcomes will vary based on individual goals. Upon being selected to participate in this mentorship program, mentees should have 2-3 specific goals in mind that they would like to achieve during the 6-month mentorship program. Goals can vary, but should be focused around growing a farm based business, improving grazing practices and forage, improving animal welfare, breeding programs, or obtaining certifications (i.e.: organic or AWA). Specific learning outcomes will be customized for individual mentee farms.
At the end of the cohort, both mentors and mentees will be expected to conduct a 30-60 minute debrief with OPN staff, fill out an online survey about their experience. The feedback we receive is vital to helping OPN improve the program for future cohorts.
If you have additional questions, please email opn@friendsoffamilyfarmers.org.