November 14, 2018
KANSAS CITY, Mo., — BioZyme® Inc., longtime supporter of Hereford youth, announced its commitment to educating youth in agriculture with a $30,000 contribution to the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout through the …
“We are proud and excited about the educational opportunities involving Hereford youth,” said Bob Norton, BioZyme CEO. “Feed the Future was created to support the HYFA academic component, where education extends beyond the classroom. BioZyme firmly believes in activities and experiences that are engaging, relevant and expose our young folks to new opportunities. The Hereford Fed Steer Shootout is such a program providing knowledge about the industry from a commercial perspective to perhaps a different audience than the show circuit.”
In year two, the Fed Steer Shootout more than doubled in size and participation. Thirty-seven youth from 13 states entered 149 steers in the Fed Steer Shootout program. Throughout the program, contestants had the opportunity to collect actual feed yard performance and carcass merit data, ultimately learning about the importance of ultrasound technology, genetics and health. All steers were fed at Gregory Feedlots in Tabor, Iowa, managed by David Trowbridge.
“One of the things that VitaFerm® really values about our partnership with the AHA is how integrated we are,” said Ashley Fitzsimmons, BioZyme regional and partners in performance marketing manager. “We really feel that the culture of BioZyme fits really well with the culture of the AHA, and specifically within the youth programs.”
Since its inception, the BioZyme Feed the Future program has given back to youth education and research through dollars collected from the sale of VitaFerm products. The program contributed $1 to HYFA for youth education and research for every bag/tub of eligible BioZyme supplement any AHA member bought in 2018. The program will now fully support the Fed Steer Shootout.
One of BioZyme’s company principles is outreach. BioZyme is committed to outreach that encourages engagement and supports various organizations in stewardship and humanity. BioZyme is dedicated to the youth livestock industries and supports students and exhibitors through programs such as the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout.
“We think this is a great extension on top of the other sponsorship opportunities we’ve had with the Association,” said Jessica Judge, BioZyme marketing brand coordinator. “This is a great opportunity to bridge that gap between our experiences with junior nationals and in the showring to more of a commercial perspective.”
Not only will participants enter steers in the contest, the new partnership will allow the NJHA to incorporate more educational components into the program as well. In addition to the existing webpage and webinars offered to youth, participants can now learn from a series of educational e-blasts and curriculum. A Facebook group has also been created to update youth and their parents on the activities taking place at Gregory Feedlots.
“The most exciting thing about this program is there are two divisions, a registered/purebred division and a commercial division that is giving these kids some real-world experience. The Hereford Association talks a lot about “the white face” so for these kids to put the white face on these calves, it gives them an opportunity to learn about marketing, genetics and the importance of a good nutrition program, which I think is really impressive,” Fitzsimmons said.
“The program doubled in size in its second year, and we expect the program to continue to grow and give junior members an opportunity to gain valuable industry experience,” says Trey Befort, AHA director of commercial programs. “Growing involvement in programs such as the Fed Steer Shootout is a great testament to the energy around the Hereford breed in the commercial industry, as well as the investment being made to advance youth programs.”
To learn more about Fed Steer Shootout, visit https://hereford.org/youth/njha-fed-steer-shootout.
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The NJHA is one of the most active junior programs in the country with almost 3,500 members. The NJHA’s mission is to create and promote enthusiasm for the breed while providing opportunities through leadership, education and teamwork. For more information about the NJHA, visit www.jrhereford.org.
