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. The recipients are: Malea Moore (Fremont County), Lily Jensen (Lucas County), Alyssa Evans (Madison County), Jasmine Jensen (Warren County) and Lanee Davis (Wayne County).

Malea Moore is an 8th grader and has participated in 4-H, volleyball, basketball, softball, track and choir. She also babysits and helps her brother mow. Her future plans are to attend Iowa State University to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Since childhood, she has had an interest in the cattle industry.

Lily Jensen is an 8th grader who has been active in volleyball, basketball, track, softball, student council, 4-H, safety patrol, Girl Scouts, Church Youth Group and AWANAS. Growing up on a farm has fueled her passion for agriculture. Her family currently raises cattle and grows hay as a food source for their own cattle.

Alyssa Evans is a 7th grader involved in Beef Team, 4-H, Swine Jackpot Series Shows, FFA, Junior Optimist Club and volleyball. Her family has a herd of cows and Alyssa has helped with all aspects from moving cows, haying and feeding them, choosing the best bulls for the heifers and helping with calving season.

Jasmine Jensen is a 7th grader who has been a Clover Kid, a member of the Shooting Stars 4-H Club. She has played softball and basketball through the Parks & Recreation League. This year, she plans to play basketball and softball and is joining the Indianola Middle School Trap Team in the spring. She has shown bucket calves, feeder calves, pigs, sheep, market heifers and market steers through 4-H. Jasmine took her proceeds from her fair animals and purchased seven ewes to start a sheep herd. She plans to become an agronomist when she graduates.

Lanee Davis is a 7th grader active in 4-H showing heifers, cow/calves, pigs and exhibit building projects. She has been in dance since she was in kindergarten. Lanee plays basketball and volleyball. For the past five years, she has been selected for TAG (Talented and Gifted). She was also chosen to play in the honor band. This year, she joined the local FFA Chapter. She is an active member of the United Methodist Church.

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 Fremont, Lucas, Wayne, Warren or Madison County, Iowa. The program will span five years. Each participant will maintain accurate records of income and expenditures during the five years and will submit these records plus 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.

“The first two years of this program have been very successful and we are pleased with the interest that the local youth continue to have in agriculture,” said Allan Bangtson, Midwest Heritage Senior Vice President and Senior Lender. “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.”

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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 $250,000,000 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.