[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 109 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4912-S4913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DENNIS THALER

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, each year, Senator Enzi and I have the 
pleasure of introducing outstanding individuals who have been selected 
as inductees to the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame for their 
invaluable contributions to agriculture and the Wyoming community. This 
year, Dennis Thaler, a third-generation Wyoming rancher, will be 
honored as one of these individuals during the 104th Wyoming State 
Fair.
  Selection as a member of the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame is not 
just about the quality of a calf crop or environmental improvements on 
the ranch, though both of these are important. This award also 
considers the involvement and dedication to the local communities that 
make Wyoming such a special place to live. I am happy to say that 
Dennis and his family embody the Western values that guide life in 
Wyoming. The Thalers raise crops like oats, millet, and wheat; run a 
cow-calf and yearling operation; and operate a backgrounding feedlot. 
Still, Dennis finds the time to be involved in the Wyoming Association 
of Conservation Districts, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, and 
the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The Thalers share their 
knowledge and experience with local students, fellow ranchers, and 
University of Wyoming researchers through the many field days, open 
houses, and workshops they host at their ranch. Dennis's dedication to 
his community is evident in the high praise he receives from his 
family, neighbors, and his many agency partners.
  Dennis has been described as a ``leader,'' a ``mainstay,'' and a 
``driving force'' in his community. He has been recognized for both his 
innovative nature and his pursuit of an inclusive, well-rounded 
``teamwork approach'' in making land management decisions. These 
characteristics make for both a hearty rancher and a healthy landscape. 
Dennis and his family were recognized for their hard work in 2006 when 
their ranch, the Thaler Land and Livestock Company, was selected to 
receive the Environmental Stewardship Award. The award considers 
management of water, air, soil, and wildlife resources, as well as the 
recipient's leadership qualities and the business's sustainability. 
Dennis and his family exceed expectations in each of these categories.
  For nearly five decades, Dennis has been at the helm of his family 
ranch in southeast Wyoming. He and his family have worked to improve 
the land and water resources to ensure a future for livestock, 
wildlife, and the next generation. Together with his family, I have no 
doubt that Dennis will lead the Thaler Land and Livestock Company into 
the next 100 years with the same mind for growth and conservation the 
ranch has experienced since 1916.
  I am honored to recognize this outstanding individual and his family. 
It

[[Page S4913]]

is because of people like Dennis that agriculture continues to play 
such a significant role in Wyoming and across the United States. My 
wife, Bobbi, joins me in congratulating Dennis Thaler as one of the 
2016 inductees into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame.

                          ____________________