Global Leadership

The Cottonwood Springs Farm Global Education and Leadership Endowment was created with the intent of supporting young Hereford leaders to travel internationally and see the world, as part of a global agriculture education effort.

Beyond Borders

The Cottonwood Springs Farm Global Education and Leadership Endowment was created with the intent of supporting the Young Breeders Competition (YBC) held in conjunction with the World Hereford Conference (WHC) every four years in different locations around the world. The leadership endowment also includes funds set aside for a new global grants program that will allow NJHA and AHA members ages 18-26 to travel internationally as part of a global agricultural education effort to build a pipeline of leaders in the Hereford industry.

The learning is already taking shape in powerful ways as this new endowment and HYFA’s OXO World Traveler Scholarship Fund worked together to provide eight scholarships for Team USA members competing in the 2025 World Hereford Conference Young Breeders Competition in the USA. In addition to travel scholarships, the funds helped create several learning moments for all eleven teams who came together on US soil to compete for champion honors.

The 2027 Global Leadership Travel

In 2027, one young leader will be selected to travel to Australia through the Global Leadership Travel Scholarship. The experience will include attendance at BEEF Australia and the Herefords Australia National Show & Sale, offering an opportunity to learn about Australian beef production, connect with international breeders and gain a broader understanding of the global cattle industry.

Proposed Travel Dates — May 1-22, 2027

Proposed Route — United States → Brisbane → Rockhampton → Queensland Coast → Albury → Mawarra Genetics/Longford → Wodonga → Victoria/Mawarra → Melbourne → Sydney → United States

Application Requirements

Applicant must be 18-26 years of age at the time of Jan. 1, 2027.
Applicant must be a NJHA or AHA member in good standing.
Applicant must have or have the capabilities of obtaining a passport in time for the trip.
Applicant must be committed to serving as a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and respected ambassador for the American Hereford industry on a global stage.

Application Deadline — Dec. 15, 2026

Apply Today

Founding Stakeholders

Tim and Nancy Keilty of Cottonwood Springs Farm in Cedar, Mich., have poured their time, energy and financial support into the core pillars of HYFA — scholarship, leadership, education and research. This endowment strengthens the very foundation of the American and National Junior Hereford Associations pushing roots deeper and ensuring lasting support for generations to come.

If interested in becoming a partner, please contact Amy Cowan, Director of Youth Activities and Foundation, at acowan@hereford.org.

Growing Roots for the Future

“I wanted to do something positive. We were throwing out ideas, and Amy brought up this global gift and I thought, that’s the ticket. I felt so excited about it,” Keilty explains. “I thought I could give these young adults an opportunity to see the world, see other agricultural practices, and I knew it would be something that they could bring back and use the rest of their lives and help others in the process.” Hence, the Cottonwood Springs Farm Global Education and Leadership Endowment was created with the intent of supporting the Young Breeders Competition (YBC) held in conjunction with the World Hereford Conference (WHC) every four years in different locations around the world.

Keilty was recognized during the Shaping the Breed’s Future: HYFA Scholarship and Awards Luncheon during the 2025 World Hereford Conference, the same luncheon where the teams competing in the Young Breeders Competition were announced, allowing her to see the endowment come to life.

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