A naming ceremony for the Sustainable Agriculture and Extension Center near Lingle, Wyoming, honored the late James C. Hageman of Fort Laramie.

Many family members were on hand as the center was unveiled with the name of James C. Hageman, a longtime rancher, education proponent, state representative and University of Wyoming alumnus, who died in 2006.

UW, which runs the facility, voted to change the name last year recognizing Hageman's many contributions to agriculture and research. Hageman received an honorary doctorate from UW last May.

"The James C. Hageman SAREC is right on target with cutting-edge research that will help not just those in the ag industry, but all of us," says UW Board of Trustees member Warren Lauer of Laramie, Wyo.

"It was a premier naming opportunity for the trustees to propel its mission by the vision and legacy of the late Jim Hageman."

The SAREC unit includes 1,500 acres of dryland crops, 350 acres of irrigated land, 1,900 acres of range, and 60 organic acres. A dormitory and a wet lab are planned for the center.

A 5,700-square-foot building, which serves as the cornerstone of the center, includes 10 offices, a research preparation room, a seed lab and two meeting rooms. The unit includes a hazard materials facility and a feedlot with 28 pens, as well as a small lab and processing area for cattle and sheep research.