New Zealand

Next Generation Teamwork: Team USA Blue and Red Dominate World Competition

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:30:20 GMT

“The cattle industry is not only about genetics or performance but about people who care deeply about preserving tradition, improving beef cattle and helping one another succeed,” explains Tar Tut, from Bells, Texas.

Tut was one of 44 young cattle producers from around the world who competed in the Young Breeders Competition, hosted in conjunction with the World Hereford Conference (WHC), hosted in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 19-25.

“There are moments in life that are hard to put into words, and representing Team USA Red at the 2025 World Hereford Conference is one of them,” Tut says. “I have been part of plenty of shows, contests and events over the years, but nothing compared to standing shoulder to shoulder with breeders from across the globe, all connected by one shared passion for Hereford cattle.”

Much of the YBC was hosted at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., before traveling to Kansas City for the WHC and remaining competition, which concluded with a team fitting and showmanship contest at the American Royal.

“Getting to meet the different teams from the around the world was without question one biggest highlights of the whole competition,” says Jacob Johnson, a member of the USA Blue Team from Ruth, Miss. “They were incredible people to get to know.”

Grand Champion Individual: Jacob Johnson, Ruth, Miss., from Team USA Blue, and Reserve Grand Champion Individual: Dylan Kottkamp, Clayton, Ind., from Team USA Red.

(American Hereford Assn.)

Johnson earned the grand champion individual title.

Fellow Blue Team member Trevor Johson from Centerville, S.D., add:, “The competition was a world-class event, and though it was challenging and intense, it was so rewarding to compete amongst the globe’s most talented young Hereford enthusiasts. The contest was also incredibly thought-provoking and stimulating. This exposure provided me better insight to global production practices, what drives value in the beef supply chain around the world and how we as the next generation of Hereford breeders may work together to ensure our breed and our industry’s future.”

Participating countries select their YBC teams, which are comprised of four members, ages 18 to 26. This year’s competition features 11 teams from seven countries, including two from the U.S.

“Competing in the Young Breeders Contest during the World Hereford Conference was absolutely an eye-opening experience for me,” says Logan Topp, a member of the USA Blue Team from Grace City, N.D. “To be able to connect with breeders from across the world, compete against some of the most progressive cattlemen my age and learn along the way was an absolute blessing. The competition was challenging to say the least, but to see the amount of skill and knowledge presented across the board no matter the country really makes me feel good about the next generation of Hereford breeders. They are truly some of the most forward-thinking people I have ever met.”

Team Blue was named grand champion team. Pictured (l to r) are Logan Topp, Grace City, N.D.; Blake Bruns, North Platte, Neb.; Jacob Johnson, Ruth, Miss.; and Trevor Johnson, Centerville, S.D.

(Topp Herefords)

As the scores were tallied, the two teams from the U.S. took the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion honors.

“There’s no words to truly describe the honor of competing on a young breeders team and just the feeling of being surrounded by elite breeders from across the world,” says Ralston Braden, a member of the USA Red Team from Kearney, Neb. “It was wonderful to learn how young breeders from across the globe are selecting genetics, running cattle from a herd health management and marketing standpoint, and how they are progressing our breed in the beef industry as a whole.”

Reserve Grand Champion Team: Team USA — Red with team members JW Cox, Flemingsburg, Ky.; Tar Tut, Bells, Texas, Dylan Kottkamp, Clayton, Ind.; and Ralston Braden, Kearney, Neb.;

(American Hereford Assn.)

The Contest

“Growing up competing in a variety of different competitive youth events, I have been challenged in many different ways, but the Young Breeders Competition took that to a whole new level of toughness and challenge for all the contests we participated in,” says Blake Bruns, a member of the USA Blue Team from North Platte, Neb.

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The competition included six sections.

Industry Practicums and Hereford Bowl: This module included three parts — Herd Health and Animal Handling, Cattle Scoring Practicum and Nutrition Challenge, plus the results of the Hereford Bowl (quiz bowl).
Meat Animal Evaluation
Livestock Judging Competition
Communications Challenge: Teams were asked to work together on a presentation about Hereford genetics and the beef industry
Team Fitting Contest
Showmanship Contest

“Each competition tested a different skill set, from technical knowledge and reasoning ability to teamwork, composure and attention to detail,” explains Tut, who was a member of the USA Red Team.

“One of the contests we had to do was a communication challenge, where we had to describe four bulls and tell how they would be used in operations within our respective counties,” Johnson adds. “It was awesome getting to listen to the different teams and how they would utilize the bulls within their counties.”

Tuesday evening the participants enjoyed a visit to Springhill Herefords, Blue Rapids, Kan.

(American Hereford Assn.)

Much More than Banners and Buckles

“I believe we quickly learned just how important it was to be able to network and talk with all the producers and young breeders from across the world. I confidently would say that was by far the most rewarding part of the whole trip,” says Dylan Kottkamp, a member of the USA red team from Clayton, Ind. “Other than Canada, the way we raise cattle in America is night and day compared to many places across the globe. Learning and seeing how other countries operate, what they have to breed for, and why their cattle look the way they do created many educational conversations and grew an appreciation amongst everyone as a whole. It was a lot of fun to compare and grow together as producers.”

Kottkamp won the showmanship division as was reserve overall individual in the competition.

“Getting to tour operations and visit with people from the U.S. as well as all across the globe was an experience second to none,” says JW Cox, a member of the USA Red Team from Flemingsburg, Ky. “I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to compete, learn and connect.”

“I came home with a full heart, lifelong friendships and a deeper appreciation for what it means to be part of the Hereford family,” Tut says. “The Young Breeders Competition was not just a contest; it was a reminder of why we do what we do and who we get to do it with. This experience reignited my passion for the Hereford breed and the people behind it. I left feeling proud, humbled and more motivated than ever to keep growing both as a cattleman and as a person.”

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Unveils Multi-Million Dollar U.S. Campaign

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:14:45 GMT

A campaign has been launched in California by farmers from New Zealand to promote grass-fed, pasture-raised beef and lamb.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand , an agriculture group supporting beef and sheep raisers in New Zealand, announced on March 20 it is kicking off its U.S. advertising campaign in California . The producer-led initiative will feature online advertisements, internet video commercials, social media, public relations and a website with recipe information. Beef + Lamb New Zealand plans to spend several millions of dollars on the campaign.

The campaign will feature grass-fed meat under New Zealand’s Taste Pure Nature labeling. The program includes a partnership with New Zealand retail brands:

Atkins Ranch, the largest North American supplier of lamb.
First Light, grass-fed Wagyu beef brand that was recently crowned the gold winner at the World Steak Challenge in London.
The Lamb Company, 100% grass-fed and finished lamb that is Non-GMO Project Verified.

“We are delighted to partner with leading brands and companies from New Zealand to increase consumer excitement and drive discovery for the incredible quality and taste of our grass-fed beef and lamb products,” says Andrew Morrison, Chairman, Beef + Lamb New Zealand. “New Zealand sheep and cattle are raised in a farming paradise with rolling green hills surrounded by an expansive ocean and fresh, clean air, and we believe this results in the best grass-fed meat.”

New Zealand is a significant importer of beef and veal to the U.S. sending 572,313,000 lb. of beef and veal to the U.S during 2018, according to data from USDA. During that time New Zealand ranked third in beef and veal imports to the U.S. behind Australia and Canada, respectively.

For lamb and mutton, New Zealand ranks second for import totals to the U.S. sending nearly 53 million lb. during 2018. Australia has nearly triple that number in lamb and mutton imports with 149 million lb. last year.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Unveils Multi-Million Dollar U.S. Campaign

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:13:55 GMT

Atkins Ranch, the largest North American supplier of lamb.
First Light, grass-fed Wagyu beef brand that was recently crowned the gold winner at the World Steak Challenge in London.
The Lamb Company, 100% grass-fed and finished lamb that is Non-GMO Project Verified.

New Zealand Importer Will Launch Zero Carbon Beef

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:43:21 GMT

A New Zealand beef company continues to aggressively court American consumers. Silver Fern Farms said it will introduce its first range of Toitu Net Carbon Zero Certified Beef in the United States late this year.

Silver Fern Farms (SFF), New Zealand’s largest livestock marketing and processing company, introduced its high-end grass-fed meats in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut last year. Now SFF has committed to several bold initiatives to drive its vision of becoming the world’s most successful and sustainable grass-fed red meat company.

SFF Co-Chair Rob Hewett said the company is committed to Net Carbon Zero Certified* Beef, Regenerative Agriculture and the elimination of coal by 2030.

“We have set targets to stretch us, but we are ready for the challenge. If anything, we are committed to investing to accelerate our progress to achieve these significant milestones early,” Hewett said in a statement.

“Companies face competing pressures to drive decarbonization, invest to serve the consumer’s future needs and deliver sustainable value to all stakeholders as they seek to forge their own path to address the challenges we collectively face.”

Key Silver Fern Farms commitments are:

Launching its first range of Toitū Net Carbon Zero Certified* Beef in the United States in late 2021
Committing to a ‘Regenerative’ future
Ending coal use in its processing plants by 2030
Joining the International Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) by the end of 2021

“Silver Fern Farms is committed to supporting our farmers to contribute to these goals, through knowledge transfer and market-led incentives. This is because we believe there is great opportunity to leverage this leadership position in our markets via our strong brand and customer partnerships,” Hewett said.

SFF Chief Executive Simo Limmer said the company wants to embed sustainability into its brand promise.

“Consumer concerns are increasing with respect to soil health, emissions, biodiversity, agricultural intensity, water quality, and the resilience and sustainability of the current food system,” Simon said. “Alongside this, the global regulatory environment and community expectations are demanding that each of these areas are addressed by corporates and producers.”

The announcements were made in front of Silver Fern Farms shareholder-suppliers at its annual farmer conference in Wellington, New Zealand, on July 9th.

NZ Importer Courts ‘Upscale’ American Consumers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:55:18 GMT

A New Zealand beef company has launched an aggressive campaign to court American consumers. Silver Fern Farms , New Zealand’s largest livestock marketing and processing company, introduced its high-end New Zealand red meat products in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in early 2020.

While many American beef producers oppose any beef imports into the U.S., Silver Fern Farms’ marketing strategies for the American market are worth recognizing. Specifically, here’s a foreign company that believes it can compete with American beef on its home turf by providing a product with attributes many upscale consumers say they want.

The product is grass-fed, though Silver Fern Farms also claims other attributes for all its meats, including grass-fed lamb and venison. Product price points start at $10.99 per pound.

John and Liz Chittock produce beef, lamb and venison for Silver Fern Farms. (SFF)

Owned jointly by a cooperative of 6,200 New Zealand livestock producers and Shanghai Maling Aquarius Ltd., a Chinese company primarily engaged in the production, processing and distribution of meat products, Silver Fern Farms reports annual revenue of $1.5 billion, while producing roughly 30% of New Zealand’s beef, venison and lamb.

“New York City is one of the great food capitals of the world and we are excited to provide New Yorkers with delicious eating experiences in the comfort of their own homes,” said Matt Luxton, Silver Fern Farms’ Director of US Sales. “Our products have been available in local butchers and restaurants in NYC for several years, and after listening to positive feedback from consumers we are confident that New York City has an appetite for our 100% grass-fed New Zealand products.”

New Zealand ranked fourth in total imports to the U.S. last year with roughly 401 million pounds. That was down 30% from 2018’s 572 million pounds, largely because Australia’s historic drought created more lucrative Asian and Chinese markets for New Zealand exporters.

The men of the Douglas-Clifford family who produce livestock for Silver Fern Farms. (SFF)

To attract consumers in one of America’s upscale markets, Silver Fern Farms says its farmer members “go above and beyond the already world-leading New Zealand industry standard meat that is 100% grass-fed, 100% pasture-raised, with no antibiotics ever, no added hormones ever, and no feedlots at any time in their life.”

Silver Fern has also committed to sustainability goals which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% within 10 years and achieving a 10% reduction in water and waste use.

“NZ’s pasture-based farming system is a forerunner in environmental sustainability and was rated first equal for animal welfare standards by the Animal Protection Index, one of four countries in the world to receive the top grade,” the company’s product launch material says.

To American beef producers, such claims do not necessarily indicate a better or tastier product. But East Coast consumers may have different ideas about what their next steak should entail.

Shifting consumer demands in recent years have given rise to many beef producers and marketers who are carving out a niche in America’s diverse market. Branded programs that eliminate – or at least greatly reduce – unsatisfactory eating experiences have flourished.

Those successes to the branded beef revolution encouraged others to carve out additional slices of the American market with special product attributes such as “natural,” “organic,” or “grass-fed.”

Silver Fern Farms ground beef.

Now, many consumers say the attributes they say they want are even more refined.

A 2017 study by University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences asked consumers of four different products – beef, chicken, milk and eggs – to rank which production attributes they consider most important.

“The top three attributes overall were ‘no growth hormones,’ ‘non-GMO,’ and ‘humanely raised,’ though there were differences in importance based on product type,” the study’s authors said.

Not mentioned in that 2017 study – though an attribute many expect to rise in consumer expectations – is traceability. New Zealand has been a global leader in traceability with its “NZ Farm Assurance Programme” (NZFAP). New Zealanders tout NZAFP as “the foundation upon which the collective red meat industry can deliver an authentic and independently verified best-practice animal raising and production assurance standard to our International consumers.”

New Zealand’s system is called one of the world’s best and requires mandatory premise and animal identification, birth ID tags, and animal movement traceability.

Silver Fern Farms – and other like-minded global export companies – believe modern meat consumers are asking “where is this product from, how was it raised, and is it safe to eat.”

To verify the integrity of its products and supply chain, Silver Fern Farms has partnered with Oritain Global , a forensic science and data company used by a growing number of New Zealand and international primary producers, pharmaceuticals and global apparel companies.

According to Oritain, brands using its certification have undergone independent, scientific sampling and analysis. Each brand that uses the certification will have carried out the following process:

1. Oritain will have collected genuine samples of the product for analysis.

2. Following the analysis, Oritain will create a profile of the genuine product which represents its ‘origin fingerprint’.

Oritain can then conduct testing against this ‘origin fingerprint’ to scientifically verify if the product is consistent with its claimed origin.

Additionally, Silver Fern Farms retail products will soon feature a QR code-enabled on-pack product traceability system that will give consumers the ability to trace where the meat comes from and the quality of its environment.

Hereford Juniors Compete at 2020 World Hereford Conference

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:28:12 GMT

Representing the United States at the 2020 World Hereford Conference in Queenstown, New Zealand, Team USA captured third place in the competition held March 7-13, 2020.

Four National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) members represented the U.S.: Abigail Spindle, Stanley, N.M.; Taylor Belle Matheny, Mays Lick, Ky.; Tyler Allan, Schulenburg, Texas; and Keayla Harr, Jeromesville, Ohio.

Team USA brought home first place honors in the presentation module of the competition with a speech about bridging the gap between urban and rural populations. The team’s victory earned the opportunity to share their presentation with the 400 attendees at the World Hereford Conference. Spindle placed second overall in the judging contest and Matheny followed with a third overall placement. Allan placed fourth in the herdsmanship module, which was a combined score from the judging and showmanship contests.

“We were proud of how we finished the competition, but more importantly, we made friends from around the world and learned from and enjoyed each other’s company more than we ever could have imagined,” said Matheny, who is also the NJHA board chairman.

Nine teams representing seven countries competed at this year’s event in New Zealand’s southern island. Other contests included a quiz bowl, fence-building, agribusiness, meat cuts, animal health and genetic modules along with judging, fitting and showing competitions at the Wanaka A&P Hereford Show.

“This was a journey of a lifetime for these young adults and it was so neat to watch them network with the teams from across the globe as they competed and represented America on the world’s stage. I look for this experience to open doors for future networking opportunities with Hereford breeders and junior members from other counties,” said Amy Cowan, director of youth activities and foundation.

The U.S. will host the next World Hereford Conference in 2024.