2020 Youth Heifer Recipients

Published Friday, November 8, 2019

2020 Youth Heifer Recipients

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (November 6, 2019) — Midwest Heritage, a subsidiary of Hy-Vee, Inc., announces the recipients of their award-winning program to help youth get a start in the cattle industry. Five individuals were selected and will each be awarded three bred heifers. Sampson Henson (Warren County), Maverick Brown (Wayne County), Connor Briggs (Lucas County), Josiah Hornback (Madison County), and Makinley Edwards (Adair County).

Sampson is an 8th grader and is heavily involved in sports. He participates in football, wrestling, baseball, basketball, and track. He is in the second year of his 4-H program where he holds the vice president role. Sampson is also active in the sports dog club, robotics, IJBBA, chorus, and band. His goal is to continue to grow his herd with this program. At the end, he plans sell his calves and use his money towards college. This program will help him learn what to do if he plans to have his own business in the future.

Maverick Brown is in the 8th grade, he is very active in 4-H and is a member of FFA. He also has been playing both basketball and baseball since the 4th grade. In addition to that, Maverick plays the tuba in band. His goal with the heifers is to expand and grow his herd. In the future, he plans to show his cattle until he is 21 years-old and attends college. At college, Maverick wants to study animal science and precision farming. Upon graduating college, he wants to return to his community and continue farming.

Connor is an 8th grader who has been involved with the Russell Reivers 4-H club for five years and is the vice president of the Chariton FFA Chapter. He also partakes in the Iowa Junior Charolais Association where he has participated in many local and national shows. Connor’s biggest goal for the program is to grow his herd from show cattle to breeding cattle. He currently has a couple cows from previous show seasons and wants to extend his new heifers to a bigger cow/calve herd.

Josiah is in the 7th grade and has been in 4-H where he has shown five bottle calves, three heifers, and one steer. He is active within his church where he participates in his youth group. In addition to that, Josiah plays basketball, baseball, and football. His goal for the program is to grow his calves and show them in the county fair. In the future, Josiah wants to rent or buy more pasture space where he can breed the heifers and continue to grow his herd.

Makinley is an 8th grader who is involved in Ag 4 All, volleyball, basketball, choir, and band. She has been an active participant in Summerset Citizens 4-H Club over the past four years where she has assisted in various community activities and gained great agricultural experience. Makinley’s main goals for the program is to garner more knowledge of cattle management, further understand the financial side of the cow/calf operation, and raise her heifers by artificially inseminating them.

The goal of the Midwest Heritage Youth Heifer Program is to help future young farmers gain interest and knowledge of the beef cattle industry. Winners were chosen based on merit, future goals and their ability to care for the heifers. These individuals are 7th or 8th graders from Adair, Lucas, Madison, Wayne, or Warren County, Iowa. The program will span five years. During the program, each participant will maintain and submit accurate records of income and expenditures as well as a brief summary of activities annually. At the conclusion of the five years, recipients are responsible for paying back the market value of the three bred heifers.

“This is the beginning of establishing a foundation herd and gaining financial self-sufficiency for these motivated individuals who were chosen to participate in the Youth Heifer Program,” said Tracy Taylor, Midwest Heritage Market President. “The first four years of this program have been very successful and we are pleased with the interest that the local youth continue to have in agriculture.”

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Midwest Heritage, a Hy-Vee company, is a full-service financial center offering a comprehensive array of products and services. Midwest Heritage is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, with branches in Chariton, Iowa, and five Hy-Vee store locations in central Iowa has in excess of $280,000,000 in assets. Midwest Heritage offers the personal service of a community bank with the convenience of a larger bank and is a five-star rated bank by both Bauer Financial Service and Bankrate.com. FDIC Insured, Equal Housing Lender. Visit us at midwestheritage.com.

Learn more about our Youth Heifer Program today.

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