Tradition Meets Technology: Idaho Ranch to Showcase Innovative Approaches to Working Lands

CARMEN, Idaho – At the J Lazy S Angus Ranch, Jay and Chyenne Smith are combining traditional ranching practices with new tools and conservation approaches to adapt to wildfire, water challenges, wildlife concerns, and changing conditions on the landscape.

On October 2nd, the Smiths will welcome landowners, producers, agency partners, and community members to the ranch for a field tour hosted in partnership with the Western Landowners Alliance. Participants will see the ranch’s use of virtual fencing for post-fire recovery, water conservation work, forest management and selective timber harvesting, while learning about the economic realities and opportunities of modern ranch stewardship.

The Smiths purchased the ranch in 2006 and have built a cow-calf and registered Angus operation while grazing cattle across a combination of private and leased lands, including BLM and Forest Service allotments.

In 2022, the 130,000-acre Moose Fire burned the Smiths’ Forest Service grazing allotment. As the burned areas recover, the Smiths are using virtual fencing to manage where cattle graze. 

“We initially implemented virtual fencing after a wildfire on one of our ranges to keep grazing the areas that didn’t burn but allow the burned areas to recover,” said Chyenne Smith of J Lazy S. “The technology made this possible without causing a huge fencing job for us or creating a ton of paperwork for the Forest Service. We realized right away that the GPS feature would be life changing in how we went about all the cattle movements throughout the year.”

The tour will also highlight a recent water conservation project that transitioned the ranch from flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation while capturing and reusing wastewater, or tailwater, to improve irrigation efficiency and make better use of available water resources.

The Smiths have worked with partners including Western Landowners Alliance, University of Idaho,  and the Natural Resources Conservation Service on projects that support the ranch and its long-term stewardship.

“None of this would have been possible without the initial partnership with the U of I and the cooperation of the local FS and BLM. Additional partnerships formed quickly from there with the Idaho Cattle Association, ISDA, and our cherished friends at WLA,” said Smith.

“The Smiths are a great example of what it looks like to steward working lands for the long term while being willing to try new approaches to the challenges ranchers face,” said Lane Justus, Idaho Resource Coordinator of Western Landowners Alliance. “We’re excited to bring people out to the J Lazy S to see that work firsthand, hear directly from Jay and Chyenne, and spend a day learning from their experience.” 

The tour will give participants an opportunity to hear directly from the Smiths, see these projects firsthand, and learn how ranchers are using technology, conservation partnerships, and innovative management practices to navigate the challenges facing working lands.

J Lazy S Angus Ranch Field Tour

October 2 | 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. | Carmen, Idaho

Community members interested in attending can register here or by emailing Dani Howlett at dhowlett@westernlandowners.org. Participants must RSVP by September 29.

Register for the J Lazy S Angus Ranch Field Tour.