Wyoming is such a diverse state, from vast prairie grasslands to spectacular mountain ranges, Yellowstone's delightful geothermal features, to the mysterious Devils Tower. The wide open grassland vistas stirred the Algonquin Indians to name the state, Wyoming, meaning large prairie place. America's frontier stories and movies are right out of the history from this Cowboy State.
Today, Wyoming's cattle industry still flourishes, just as it had 150 years ago and accounts for more than 10 percent of Wyoming's employment. The industry is not without its struggles and opposition. Ranchers are dealing with outbreaks of brucellosis and guarding against mad cow disease. Opponents of public grazing cite that cattle grazing pollutes water, erodes topsoil, displaces wildlife, and destroys grassland, more than any other land use.