Celebrating Ag Honorees: Individuals honored at annual Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame Awards Picnic

On Aug. 14, Clark and Associates Land Brokers, LLC; Farm Credit Services of America; the University of Wyoming (UW) College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources (CALSNR) and the Wyoming Livestock Roundup hosted the 2024 Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame (HOF) Awards Picnic at Riverside Park in Douglas to recognize Wyoming ag leadership.

Individuals recognized during the annual event included Wyoming Ag HOF inductees Philip Ellis of Chugwater and Laurie Boner of Glenrock, as well as the Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAIC) 2024 Educators of the Year Cami Brown and Sarah Butters from Mountain View Elementary School. 

Also in attendance were U.S. Sens. Cynthia Lummis and John Barrassso (both R-WY), Gov. Mark Gordon, First Lady Jennie Gordon, UW CALSNR Interim Dean and Director of the Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership Program Kelly Crane and numerous Wyoming ag industry leaders.

“We are so lucky to live in this state because of the people who are here,” Gordon said. “This is the state where things happen. We work very hard and it’s great we have the opportunity to sit here this evening and really celebrate great leadership.”

Lifetime of service

Lummis welcomed Boner to the stage and read her achievements from the Congressional Record.

“Throughout her career, she has been a member of multiple associations including the Wyoming Quarter Horse Association (WQHA), Wyoming Wool Growers Association, Converse County Stock Growers and Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA). She also served on the WQHA Board for many years and was appointed to the Wyoming Livestock Board in 2015,” Lummis noted. 

“Boner was also honored as the Heart of Agriculture Award winner and is currently serving on the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust Board, Wyoming SHEEP Foundation, Converse County Stock Growers and the Wyoming State Fair Board,” she added.

“You have served the state so well, and I congratulate you on being inducted into the Wyoming Agriculture HOF,” Lummis concluded.

Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) was unable to attend, but her letters of recognition congratulating the honorees were read.

Hageman extended her sincerest congratulations to Boner on a well-deserved induction into the Wyoming Agricultural HOF stating, “I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your selection to join the Wyoming Agricultural HOF. This outstanding achievement is a testament to your lifetime of dedication and outstanding contributions to the agricultural industry in Wyoming.”

She continued, “Your passion for agriculture, combined with your devotion to excellence, has made a significant impact on the community and the industry at large.”

Lifelong dedication

Barrasso had the honor of inducting Ellis and read his achievements from the Congressional Record.

“Ellis has a long history of involvement in organizations supporting the beef industry, and over the years, he has advocated for the agricultural industry while serving on several policy committees and holding various state and national positions along the way,” Barrasso noted. 

He continued, “Spending most of his life serving the Wyoming ag industry and his community, Ellis continued to advance his leadership in roles at WSGA, where he served as president from 2003-05. He also served on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Board of Directors and several policy committees.” 

“Ellis served as the NCBA Region Five vice president, which includes Wyoming and the Northwest and became a NCBA national officer in 2012, rising to the position of national president in 2015,” he reads.

“Ellis’ dedication and passion for Wyoming agriculture in the beef industry makes him an outstanding choice for the Wyoming Agriculture HOF,” Barrasso concluded.

In acceptance of the award Ellis said, “You can’t do all of this without the real Hall of Famers – the anchors back at the ranch. If there wasn’t an anchor on the ranch, then you couldn’t do the meetings and everything we do, making sure the ranch runs right and that it survives. And so those are the Hall of Famers in my book.” 

He added, “I hope I’ve been able to further family agriculture in my time because it’s very important to me.” 

Hageman acknowledged Ellis’ achievements, stating, “Your lifetime careers and contributions to the state’s agricultural sector have undoubtedly made a significant impact on the livelihoods of numerous communities.”

Impacting the future

Following the Ag HOF award presentation, WAIC Executive Director Andrew Joannides recognized Cami Brown and Sarah Butters from Mountain View Elementary School as the 2024 WAIC Educators of the Year. 

“WAIC is a statewide nonprofit, and we focus on education for our youth here in the state of Wyoming.” Joannides explained. “We have three programs – our flagship program, a curriculum called Wyo Wonders, which we rebranded last year; the Bookmark and Beyond Program and Educator of the Year.”

Joannides noted this was the first time the program has recognized two educators, but since Brown and Butters both teach the curriculum at Mountain View Elementary, it seemed fitting. Although Butters was not able to make it to the ceremony, Brown and her family were in attendance.

Joannides told Brown, “We’re proud of you and grateful for what you’re doing, not only in your classroom in Mountain View, but what you’ve done to help us design the curriculum when it was released in 2019.”

Following the acceptance of her award, Brown said, “First and foremost, I want to say thank you. Wyo Wonders is so important, and I love that I get to share it with my third-grade class.” 

“It’s important to me to pass on the love of our state and agriculture onto the next generation. I love that it focuses on the past – where we’ve been – into what we’re doing now and the future,” she added.

To congratulate the duo, Hageman sent letters of recognition, stating, “I want to offer you my sincerest congratulations and my profound gratitude for your efforts in educating future generations on the importance of our state’s assets.”

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.