College of Ag Honors Visionary Professor

Utah State University’s College of Agriculture recently honored former professor Lyman H. Rich, a visionary leader in the dairy industry, by naming him to the college’s Alumni Hall of Honor.

A dairy scientist and Extension educator, Professor Rich had many well-deserved titles in his 50 years of service to the dairy industry and USU. Rich graduated from Utah State in 1925 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with honors. He earned his master’s degree in dairy science from University of Minnesota under the direction of Clarence Henry Eckles, then recognized as one of the foremost living dairy scientists in the world.

 

These educational degrees laid the foundation for a highly influential career in the advancement of the dairy sciences. He authored more than 100 publications in the field of dairy production. He was an innovator in the use of computers to track dairy production during the days when most records were kept in old boxes in dusty basements. This computerized record keeping system is known today as the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program.

 

“Professor Rich was significantly ahead of his time when he started computerized tracking of dairy records,” said Noelle Cockett, dean and vice president for Extension and Agriculture at USU. “He contributed significantly to dairy cattle production in the nation — and the world — by taking the field to a new level of technology. His work set the course for record-keeping that is used in today’s dairy industry.”

 

In 1949, he initiated the storage of records on an IBM computer rather than using handwritten records. At that time there were 1,251 testing records; in 2006, production data for 1.8 million cows in 46 states and two foreign countries are collected through computerized records. For development of this program, he was awarded the National Agriculture Superior Service Award in Washington, D.C., by the Secretary of Agriculture, Ezra Taft Benson, in May 1956.

 

“Professor Rich put USU’s College of Agriculture on the map, and not just the national map,” said Gary Straquadine, associate dean in the College of Agriculture. “His work attracted an international spotlight, and dairy producers from around the world owe a debt of gratitude to him.”

 

After studying artificial insemination in 12 European countries and in many states in the United States, he initiated the Cache Valley Breeding Association, which is now a major organization that creates the best pedigreed bulls that are used nationwide. This multi-million dollar business has also brought recognition to USU and the college.

 

Even after retirement in 1959, he continued some of his finest work with worldwide organizations. He advanced the USU dairy program by hosting 12 Iranian leaders for four months of technical training in Utah, New Mexico, Mexico and Washington, D.C. In 1960, he was director and chairman of the 2,000-member American Dairy Science Convention that featured former Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson.

 

Lyman’s wife, Ada Shepard Rich, always worked at his side to encourage his many projects. Together they raised five children, Joyce Nelson, Morris Rich, Cleone Frichknecht, Marilyn Mickelson and Bill Rich. Lyman and Ada had 26 grandchildren — 32 of his family have graduated from USU.

 

 

Contact: Gary Straquadine, 435-797-3521, garys@cc.usu.edu
Writer: Tim Vitale, 435-797-1356, tim.vitale@usu.edu