[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12642-12643]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         RECOGNIZING DICK LOPER

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I wish to speak on behalf of Dick Loper, who 
will be inducted into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame at the 101st 
Wyoming State Fair in August. Since 1992, Wyoming has recognized 
individuals each year who have made substantial contributions to 
agriculture in our State. This year I have the honor of presenting this 
award to Dick with my colleague, Senator Barrasso.
  Dick Loper is known across Wyoming for his rangeland consulting, 
Federal agency cooperation, and community involvement. As a rangeland 
consultant, Dick has served Wyoming's farmers, ranchers, and 
agricultural organizations throughout his entire career. He has also 
worked as a range consultant to the Wyoming State Grazing Board and has 
been involved in the organization since its creation. Rawlins Rancher 
and 2011 Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame inductee Niels Hansen 
commented,

       Since his time in the Reagan Administration, Dick has made 
     his home in Wyoming working as a range consultant and helping 
     and teaching many ranchers about the benefits of range 
     monitoring and good range stewardship.

  Dick is best known for his commitment to the health of Wyoming's 
rangelands. For over 30 years, he has worked with Bureau of Land 
Management, BLM, permitees and other parties to advance livestock 
management and oversee the implementation of range improvements. As a 
member of the Committee on Rangeland Classification, his efforts were 
crucial in gaining national attention for rangeland health, which led 
to the establishment of standards of healthy rangelands. These 
standards now give public land users and managers clear goals for 
grazing.
  Dick Loper is also active in a variety of community organizations 
important to Wyoming agriculture. He served on the Society for Range 
Management Select Task Force on Unity in Concepts and the Sustainable 
Rangelands Roundtable. For his service, Dick has been honored with the 
Guardian of the Grasslands Award.
  On a personal note, it seems I can't go very long without visiting 
with Dick Loper in Washington. In addition to seeing him in Wyoming, 
Dick is regularly in DC for meetings with Federal agencies and other 
partners. It is always helpful receiving the latest on public lands 
during his visits. I am proud to have the opportunity to recognize Dick 
Loper's achievements with Senator Barrasso as a 2013 inductee into the 
Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame. Wyoming and its public lands are well 
served by his lasting and continuing contributions to our State.

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