Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Virginia › Amherst County

Amherst County, VA

Cattle prices near Amherst County, Virginia. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Rustburg VA in Rustburg, VA, about 25 miles away. On Nov 9, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $382.94 per hundredweight on 18 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Amherst County is on FSA's list (since Sep 1, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought ModerateD1 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Rustburg VA 5-wt steers $383per cwt

Amherst County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Amherst County, VA in moderate drought (D1), with a sliver (<1%) at severe drought (D2); some part has been in severe drought (D2) or worse for 45 straight weeks. Over 90 days rain is at 60% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 17% (well below normal); no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 3% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Amherst County with up to 4 monthly payments, and Rustburg VA is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 25 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 17% of normal
  • Last 60 days 55% of normal
  • Last 90 days 60% of normal

NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 15, 2026. Source.

Rain outlook

  • 6-10 day outlook (Nov 20–24) Leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain)

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 50°, low 30°, 3% rain, wind 3–9 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 55°, low 31°, 0% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 59°, low 33°, 0% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 62°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 64°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 66°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 64°, 0% rain, wind 1–5 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026

The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for Amherst County is Dec 1, 2026, 16 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.

How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool

Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.

Amherst County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Amherst County grew about 3,102 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 124% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,505 pounds per acre. That was the 1st best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2025 at 3,102 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,009.

Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.

Open loss windows

No open loss windows in Amherst County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

Amherst County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (severe or worse drought, Sep 1, 2025 to Aug 31, 2026).

Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.

Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)

Drought pasture pay (LFP)

On FSA's 2026 list for 4 pasture types. Up to 4 monthly payments.

Bring head counts, grazing leases and pasture acres to your county FSA office.

How to read this

Each bar is a pasture type; the number is how many monthly payments it qualifies for (1 to 5).

Pasture table
Pasture typeGrazing periodQualifying datePayments
Full Season Improved2026-04-01 to 2026-11-152026-04-284
Native Pasture2026-04-15 to 2026-11-152026-04-284
Forage Sorghum2026-07-01 to 2026-09-302026-07-013
Long Season Small Grains2026-03-15 to 2026-05-152026-04-112

FSA "Counties & Pasture Types Eligible for 2026 LFP", file dated Nov 5, 2026 (download). FSA decides eligibility. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: How LFP works and who qualifies

Guide: ELAP and LIP basics

USDA disaster declarations

  • Jul 31, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Amherst) · crop year 2026
  • Jun 26, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Amherst) · crop year 2026
  • Jun 26, 2026 · Frost, Freeze
    Amherst declared · crop year 2026
  • Jun 26, 2026 · Frost, Freeze
    Amherst declared · crop year 2026
  • May 18, 2026 · Drought
    Amherst declared · crop year 2026

"Declared" means USDA named this county. "Neighboring" means it touches a declared county. Either way, FSA emergency loans can open for about 8 months. FSA designation files (dated Oct 19, 2026). Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: What a disaster designation means

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Open Amherst County is on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list, starting Sep 1, 2026. Trigger: D2 (severe) drought on the Drought Monitor. Get an updated conservation plan from FSA before cutting or turning out.

Before haying and grazing, contact your FSA county office to see if your county remains eligible and/or obtain a modified conservation plan. This list is cumulative for the year and current local conditions may have changed.

Source: FSA eligible-county table posted Nov 5, 2026 · map · FSA program page. FSA posts a new file every Thursday. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: CRP emergency haying and grazing rules

Screwworm (Texas Animal Health Commission)

Data pending. animal-health alerts are read for Texas (TAHC) and Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico (state ag departments); Virginia's state veterinarian isn't read yet

Guide: Screwworm: what to know

New FSA programs: watch list
DateScopeReleaseFlag
Nov 4, 2026MississippiUSDA Designates one Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 4, 2026Hawaii and Pacific IslandsUSDA Extends Application Deadline for Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Guam and CNMI Counties for Typhoon Bavi Impacts
Nov 4, 2026NebraskaUSDA Authorizes Deadline Extension for Emergency Conservation Program in Several Wildfire-Impacted Counties
Nov 4, 2026FloridaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 3, 2026AlabamaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Text me Amherst County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Lynchburg Livestock Rustburg, VA 25 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Springlake Stockyard Moneta, VA 40 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 7, 2026
  3. Roanoke-Hollins Roanoke, VA 50 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  4. Shenandoah Valley Livestock Harrisonburg, VA 58 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 7, 2026
  5. Rockingham Livestock Harrisonburg, VA 58 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026

Miles are straight-line from the county center. Sale days come from the barns' recent USDA AMS reports; call the barn to confirm. All barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for Virginia): Kentucky, Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Amherst County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Amherst County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 4 monthly payments for some pasture types. FSA decides each operation's eligibility; apply at your county FSA office by March 1 after the loss year.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Amherst County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Amherst County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on a sliver (<1%) of the county. 45 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in Amherst County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Virginia; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices.

What sale barns are near Amherst County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Rustburg VA (25 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Moneta VA (40 mi), last report Nov 7, 2026; Roanoke VA (50 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Apples 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.

Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)

Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.