Jessica
Jessica was a seasonal farmworker from Deer Lodge, MT. Jessica has worked for her family farm, in the FFA program, and has owned her own cattle. She was previously living in Kansas to attend college, but transferred back to Montana. Jessica was referred to REO by her brother, who was also an NFJP participant. She attended college at MSU-Bozeman. Jessica earned her BS degree in Secondary Education with a major in Family Consumer Sciences.
After a 1-year student teaching residency program for the Forsyth High School in Forsyth, MT, Jessica has accepted a teacher position to continue her work at that school. She will teach high school Family Consumer Science starting in the Fall 2025.
Owen
Owen was a 19-year-old college freshman when one of his professors told him about REO. Owen is from Walkerton, Indiana and has worked seasonally on a dairy farm, focusing on his studies during the school year and earning about $5,000 per year. He moved to Billings, MT to attend college in aviation, a program that demands a lot of monetary resources and doesn’t leave a lot of time for earning income in down time. His dream is to become a crop dusting pilot, but he wasn’t sure just what path he would take to get there. With the help of REO and NFJP, Owen was able to afford to pay for two semesters of college and draw up a road map of the further milestones he would need to reach in order to gain employment as a crop duster pilot. He is now working as an aviation mechanic and building his skills toward the next milestone on his road map, and the sky is the limit for Owen!
Amy
Amy is a 35-year-old seasonal farmworker from Stevensville, MT. She raised sheep and poultry on her small farm, but she has also used her livestock for research as an Independent Livestock Contractor for MSU-WARC (Western Agriculture Research Center) in Hamilton, MT. At the time of her application, she was expecting her first child in May. Amy has completed a BA degree in Agriculture, but due to her health conditions and autoimmune issues, she is no longer able to work the physical long hours as needed on a farm or ranch. She was also helping to care for her disabled sister at home. She changed her focus to training as a Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counselor taking online classes at MSU-Billings. She reached out to REO for assistance with tuition funding and supportive services to finish this major.
Amy’s plan was to graduate in December, meaning she would have to finish the Spring semester, take time off to have her baby, then return in the Fall to finish her internship. She was able to talk with her professors and, with the assistance from REO for the extra credits, Amy was allowed to complete a 12-credit internship in the Spring. This allowed her to graduate early, before the baby was born. Amy graduated on May 5th and her baby boy was born on May 20th! Amy will work with the mental health counselors she has met through her internship to start providing online and in-person counseling sessions in Missoula and the surrounding areas. She states, “I am well-versed in the challenges of the ag industry and passionate about supporting farmers.”
McLain
McLain Payne enrolled in the NFJP grant program in December 2023. McLain heard about REO from his college friends. During summer break and holiday breaks from college McLain worked as a seasonal farmworker for various ranches; calving, haying, harvesting, and working beef cattle. McLain States, “I was struggling financially due to the financial burden of college. I could only work limited hours, and my goal was to graduate college with minimal debt. I was excited to enroll in the NFJP grant program and get financial relief.”
In the summer of 2024 McLain completed a summer internship at the Matador Ranch in the Beaverhead Valley. He excelled during his college career, earning awards and making the dean’s list. Obtaining his BS in Ranching Systems at MSU-Bozeman has changed his life for the better. He has gained a network of great friends throughout the state and nation that will increase the value of his life. He also gained knowledge and experience that will benefit him throughout his entire life.
McLain’s future goal is to manage his family’s ranch and someday purchase his own ranch. Immediately after graduation McLain went back to the family ranch to utilize his educational knowledge and skills. McLain says, “This training will help me achieve my goals because it has trained me in how to operate a ranch and I have gained a network of leaders in the agricultural industry.
Logan
Logan was a seasonal farmworker from Deer Lodge. He worked for a local greenhouse for a few seasons. He graduated from high school, first in his class, with a 4.0 GPA. Logan moved to Powell, WY to attend the Agriculture Business program at Northwest College. He was also a member of the rodeo team there. Logan was referred to REO by his friend who was also an NFJP participant and student at Northwest College.
In 2023, Logan earned his Associate of Science Degree in Agriculture Business. He decided to move back to Montana and pursue a second associate degree in Welding Technology from the Gallatin College Workforce Program. With this education, Logan wanted to be able to create his own business opportunities. After having surgery right before graduation, Logan graduated with a 3.97 GPA. Logan was hired by a drilling company that offers apprenticeship hours and training through a paid program.
When he started the apprenticeship/employment, REO was able to provide Logan with a welding jacket, gloves, and boots to get him started on this path. He has plans to keep moving up with his new job and is currently investing in some new machinery and a pump truck as he gets his business off the ground.
Sage
Sage was a seasonal farmworker from Hot Springs, MT. She worked on her family ranch, in a vet hospital, and also worked with cattle genetics and fencing companies. Sage was referred to a REO by a previous REO participant. Sage was a junior at Montana State University Bozeman when she enrolled in REO’s NFJP program. Sage was studying to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Range Science with a minor in Livestock Management/Industry and Agriculture Business. After graduation, Sage accepted a position at the Wildhorse Veterinary Clinic and McIntyre Veterinary Services as a veterinary technician.
Cody
Cody is a 27-year-old seasonal farmworker from Helmville, MT. He has worked on a farm for the past year but was unemployed at the time of application. He is a single father and shares custody of his daughter. Cody reached out to REO for assistance with the tuition and tool cost for the MSU Farrier Program in Bozeman, MT. He had plans to move to Bozeman for the program and live in the campus family housing so that he can have his daughter stay with him Friday-Sunday each week. He planned to move back to Helmville upon certification and start working with his own clients.
I referred Cody to the Bozeman Job Service to see about co-enrollment with the ARPA program that might also assist him with this training. Cody was also interested in finding part time work at night while he is in the training program. With a co-enrollment between REO and the Bozeman Job Service ARPA funding, we were able to assist Cody with the cost of training, tools, and fuel vouchers for his travel. Cody completed the MSU Farrier Program at the end of April. He knew that there was a need for farrier services in his area, so he lined up several appointments for summer. He recently earned a large contract for 30 horses on one ranch. Cody was able to start using his farrier skills right away, while earning a good wage.
Madison
Madison was a seasonal farmworker from Dillon, MT. She has worked during the summers at a local farm for many years. Madison was accepted into the Accelerated Nursing Program at MSU-Bozeman. With this program, Madison earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in about 1 year. REO assisted Madison with monthly stipends during this intensive training. At the end of her program, Madison also passed the NCLEX exam for registered nurses. Madison was immediately employed at Barrett Healthcare & Hospital in Dillon. REO assisted Madison with some medical scrubs and shoes to start off her career. Madison was able to double her income and add full time benefits within this short time.
Justin
Justin is a seasonal farmworker from Dell, MT. He has worked on his family’s ranch most of his life as the seasons allowed. Justin was 19 years old when he contacted REO for assistance with funding for his tuition for the pilot’s license and the last years of his college degree. Justin was referred to REO by his sister who was also a participant of NFJP. Justin attended Montana State University in Bozeman and majored in Animal Science with the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program. At that time, he was also in the last stages of obtaining his private pilot’s license from the Dillon Flying Service.
The text that I received from Justin about his plans for his future in agriculture assured that he had big dreams! It stated, “With the flying you have to get your private pilot’s license and then build time and experience towards your commercial license. I can’t get paid to fly until I have my commercial license. I am very close to getting my private license, about three flights away, and then I have to take the oral and practical exam. I already did the written exam. I plan on using my private license for some for different ranch things, like looking for/checking on cows or doing part runs when we break down in the middle of haying. I will have my private license by October, hopefully sooner. And I plan on getting my commercial license about at the same time I graduate college. Then, employment opportunities are things like helping other ranchers look for cattle or check things out until I build enough hours to either crop dust or get into wildlife services (flying for the fish and game). The flight school that I attend is the Dillon Flying Service and they are a part 61 flight school which means they don’t necessarily follow a set curriculum, they kind of work their program with each student to make it most cost effective and rewarding for the students. I also plan to earn a CDL license before I graduate from college.”
As of May 2023, Justin has completed all of these accomplishments. While attending college full time and working on the ranch every chance he could, he earned both pilot licenses and his CDL. He recently graduated with a 3.71 GPA in Animal & Range Science in Livestock Management & Industry. He is returning to his family ranch to take over the agriculture management responsibilities.
Tyson
Tyson was referred to us from another family who earned CDLs with assistance from REO. Tyson worked with his father on a cattle ranch, but wanted to earn his CDL certification and move into a local job using his AA degree in Construction Tech. There were several positions opening in the spring with construction companies or the reclamation companies in the surrounding mining towns. Tyson completed the CDL course from MT Operating Engineers in Helena.
Camille
Camille was a seasonal farm hand from Cut Bank, Montana who dreamed of working in immigration law, providing legal pathways for international workers to come to the US and complete agricultural work. When Camille found REO, she was in the middle of earning her business degree, unemployed, and focusing on her studies. REO and NFJP were able to assist her with her college tuition so that she could graduate on time, with less debt than she would have incurred without us. She graduated this spring and looks forward to supporting the agricultural community in her home state of Montana.
Rusty and Jorge
Rusty and Jorge contacted REO for assistance with the tuition cost for the CDL Program at Highlands College in Butte, MT.
Rusty is a seasonal farmworker from Melrose, MT. He has talked about earning his CDL for years. After completing the program, he works for the MT Dept. of Transportation, starting with snow removal.
Jorge is a seasonal farmworker from Dillon, MT. With encouragement from his family, Jorge enrolled in the CDL program with English as a second language. After completing the program, Jorge will work for several ranches in Dillon, transporting livestock and hay crops.
Bree
Bree is a farmworker from Wisdom, MT. She earned her Associate degree in Welding at Highlands College in Butte. Bree plans to use her degree to create welding art and use her skills around the ranch. She will provide welding services to local ranches in the area as well as work at Wisdom River Works welding supports and building frames.
Darby
Darby completed her last semester of the Registered Nursing Program at Montana Tech in Butte. She conducted her clinical research at Barrett Hospital in Dillon. Darby has grown up working on the family ranch in Jackson, MT, but has wanted to be a nurse most of her life. She still works on the ranch each summer to help pay for college. After being accepted into the nursing program, Darby became a member of Medical Team International and traveled to The Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, Africa last summer. She would love to return and plans to use her education to help people all over the world! Darby has accepted a nursing resident position at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, ID. She will continue to earn some income from the ranch until her start date. Her position comes with a signing bonus and full medical, dental, and vision benefits.
Joe
After working several summers as a farmworker, Joe completed his semester-long training at Montana Tech in the Electrical Lineman program. He was able to climb poles every day and was comfortable doing it. Joe learned how to pull poles and as the weather warmed up, he learned how to set poles. Not only will Joe graduate from the Lineman Program, but he earned his CDL certification as well. Joe took a telecommunications groundman position with Rocky Mountain Contractors in Belgrade, MT, then a lineman position with Vigilante Electric in Dillon, MT. He has traveled to Guatemala as part of the Montana NRECA International Project to restore electricity in rural communities.
Randyn, Garrett, & Brody
Randyn, Garrett, and Brody contacted REO for financial assistance with travel and tuition to attend the Equissage Equine Sports Massage Therapy Certification Program/Workshop in Oceanside, CA. This certification would help the family farrier business grow into a more diverse clientele demographic. The equine massage therapy appointments will help create appointments in the winter months. They have had enough client inquiries about providing this service that they are confident that the business can serve more year-round needs at private farm/ranches, resorts, and dude ranches. These brothers have great ambition to grow Performance Farrier Services into Performance Equine Services as they earn certifications to broaden their skills in equine studies. In the future, they would like to offer equine dentistry and acupuncture services.