Gus Liszka

Gus has been a farmer and rancher her whole life, developing a love for animals and the outdoors while growing up in Central Oregon before moving to the west side of the Cascades.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, she studied soils and biology at Oregon State University. She then spent nearly 20 years working in emergency and critical care veterinary medicine while continuing to farm, raising livestock and produce for small grocers and year-round farmers’ markets. She is passionate about soil health, forages, livestock nutrition, and farm management. Her diverse experience gives her a strong foundation to help others succeed in agriculture.

Since joining the District in 2021, Gus has managed the Equipment Rental Program, expanding education, improving customer service, and handling in-house maintenance and repairs. She loves helping people find the right equipment at the right time and selecting the best forage and cover crops to meet their goals.

When she’s not at work, Gus manages her farm, serves on the board of the Oregon Forage and Grasslands Council, rebuilds old trucks, and enjoys working with her border collie on sheep herding and agility training.