Wyoming rancher Pat O’Toole, the longtime president of the Family Farm Alliance who advocated for conservation on farms, died Feb. 25 from complications following a stroke. He was 75.
O’Toole, known for his affable presence and frequent invitations for people to visit his ranch straddling the Colorado-Wyoming border, also served on the boards of conservation and sustainable agriculture groups.
“Pat was always just so passionate and really the epitome of problem-solving and keeping in mind how important it is to protect the environment and at the same time making sure water was going to produce food for people to eat,” said Dan Keppen, executive director of the Family Farm Alliance.
O’Toole became president of Family Farm Alliance, which advocates for irrigated agriculture in Western states, in 2005, while continuing to operate the Ladder Ranch with his wife, Sharon.
