Caden and Jori Smiley ranch near Red Owl, South Dakota, carrying on a lifelong connection to agriculture. Both involved in the conservation community, Caden grew up on his family’s ranch in the same area, while Jori spent much of her childhood helping at her grandparents’ place near Lead. When Caden returned to the family ranch around 2016, he took over full responsibility for managing the ranch. After the West River Grazing School, hosted by the South Dakota Grassland Coalition, who is supported by a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Cooperation Agreement, they soon realized there were opportunities to improve their land, and they were eager to get started.
That new perspective led them to work more closely with NRCS field office staff to restore productivity to their farmland, advancing soil health, and improving plant diversity. Together, they identified next steps for enhancing water resources on the property and collaborated on a comprehensive, producer‑driven grazing plan.
“Helping producers like the Smileys build soil health and achieve their regenerative goals is what makes this job meaningful,” said local Soil Conservation Technician, Cody Skogen. “The Smileys understand the importance of soil health and what it does not only for the ground they run on, but also the product they produce.”
Source : usda.gov