[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 123 (Monday, July 29, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO LAURIE BONER

 Ms. LUMMIS. Madam President, with the August work period just 
around the corner, preparations are being made and events are being 
scheduled for several weeks back home in Wyoming. The Cowboy State is 
truly wonderful all 12 months of the year, but August brings a lot of 
opportunities for outdoor activities, family gatherings, and one of my 
favorite events of the year: the Wyoming State Fair.
  For more than 120 years, the Wyoming State Fair has taken place in 
Douglas and has been the perfect place to take in a rodeo, play 
carnival games, eat some terrific fair food, and celebrate Wyoming 
agriculture. As a lifelong rancher, the Wyoming State Fair has always 
held a special place in my heart. It is a place to welcome and witness 
the next generation of ranchers and to honor those who have made so 
much of a difference to agriculture in Wyoming with an induction into 
the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame.
  Today, I have the distinct honor to welcome Laurie Boner of Glenrock, 
WY, to the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame.
  In every walk of life, the Hall of Fame is synonymous with 
excellence. Not only in ones profession, but also in their character. 
It is traditionally a place reserved for those who have made 
significant contributions to ensure growth in their industry and who 
have left a lasting impact for future generations to look up to. Laurie 
personifies all of these attributes, and being inducted into the 
Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame is a fitting and well-deserved honor 
and recognition for her.
  It did not take long for Laurie to begin showing an interest in 
agriculture. At a young age, she would spend time with her grandparents 
who raised sheep and cattle and grew up with quarter horses, which were 
raised and trained by her mother. The influence and knowledge they 
shared ultimately sparked an interest in Laurie's heart which has since 
developed into a passion for ranching and agriculture in addition to 
her love for Wyoming.
  This passion soon transitioned into a career. After her graduation 
from the University of Wyoming, Laurie spent more than 15 years working 
for the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, where she was able to use 
her knowledge and expertise to guide Federal and State agriculture 
policies in Wyoming. Laurie, however, felt she had more to offer and so 
much more she could do.
  This led her to join numerous associations to help advocate for 
Wyoming's ranching and agriculture industries. She has served on the 
Wyoming Quarter Horse Association (WQHA), Wyoming Wool Growers 
Association (WWGA), Converse County Stock Growers, the Wyoming Stock 
Growers Land Trust Board, the Wyoming State Fair Board, the Wyoming 
Stock Growers Association (WSGA), and was appointed by the Governor to 
the Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB), where she served for 6 years. 
During her busy career, she still found the time to start up LB 
Designs, a business specializing in website design and print-ready 
promotional materials. That is a resume that truly stands out and 
clearly is representative of someone who wants what is best for 
agriculture in her State and is willing to put in whatever needs to be 
done.
  Laurie is also no stranger to awards and recognitions. In 2021, she 
was honored as the recipient of the Heart of Agriculture Award. When I 
learned of this, I wrote her and told her how special it is to be 
recognized by your neighbors and peers who have decided that you are 
part of what makes living, working, and just being a part of 
agriculture in Wyoming so wonderful. I pushed her to use that award as 
a catalyst to continue to challenge herself to make a difference. I do 
not think she needed my advice as she was already well on the path to 
success, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this hall of 
fame recognition than Laurie Boner.
  I look forward to welcoming Laurie to the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of 
Fame. While I do not anticipate her slowing down anytime soon, the 
legacy she has established is truly remarkable and an example for 
others to aspire to. I tip my hat to her.

                          ____________________