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Avery County, NC

Cattle prices near Avery County, North Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is North Wilkesboro NC in North Wilkesboro, NC, about 44 miles away. On Nov 11, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $353.40 per hundredweight on 10 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county North Wilkesboro NC 5-wt steers $353▼ $19 since last sale

Avery County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Avery County, NC with no drought, though a sliver (<1%) at abnormally dry (D0); four weeks earlier 61% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 1%. Over 90 days rain is at 85% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 67% (below normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain and no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 3% rain chance. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Avery County with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is North Wilkesboro NC, 44 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 67% of normal
  • Last 60 days 105% of normal
  • Last 90 days 85% 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 toward near-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 Partly Sunny, high 40°, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 1–8 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 52°, low 33°, 0% rain, wind 0–2 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 55°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 0–2 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 58°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 2 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 61°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 2 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 62°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 1–2 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 59°, low 41°, 3% 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 Avery 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.

Avery County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Avery County grew about 2,124 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 133% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,603 pounds per acre. That was the 2nd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2012 at 2,185 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 711.

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 Avery 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

Avery 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)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
North Wilkesboro NC 44 miNov 11$353
Greeneville TN 51 miNov 14$381
Shelby NC 58 miNov 10$357
How to read this

Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.

Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.

Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 3 nearest barns

North Wilkesboro NC 44 mi

North Wilkesboro, NC
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb8361.50$1,630
Heifers 500-599 lb2320.00$1,760
Heifers 600-699 lb4268.49$1,750
Heifers 700-799 lb1240.00$1,800
Steers 400-499 lb6408.80$1,840
Steers 500-599 lb10353.40$1,940
Steers 700-799 lb9310.06$2,330

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Greeneville TN 51 mi

Greeneville, TN
Sale of Nov 14, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb10372.53$1,680
Heifers 500-599 lb14328.58$1,810
Heifers 600-699 lb3296.56$1,930
Heifers 700-799 lb3276.67$2,080
Steers 400-499 lb3420.00$1,890
Steers 500-599 lb13381.08$2,100
Steers 700-799 lb1300.00$2,250

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Shelby NC 58 mi

Shelby, NC
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb27327.21$1,470
Heifers 500-599 lb31298.99$1,640
Heifers 600-699 lb24255.35$1,660
Heifers 700-799 lb6227.47$1,710
Steers 400-499 lb2385.00$1,730
Steers 500-599 lb9356.71$1,960
Steers 600-699 lb3320.59$2,080
Steers 700-799 lb3251.50$1,890

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

33 more within 200 mi: Canton NC (63 mi), Turnersburg NC (63 mi), Dublin VA (99 mi), Williamston SC (105 mi), Laurens SC (109 mi), Knoxville TN (114 mi), Norwood NC (117 mi), Eastanollee GA (131 mi), Roanoke VA (137 mi), Carnesville GA (139 mi), Siler City NC (140 mi), Saluda SC (Stockyards) (143 mi), Saluda SC (Exchange) (143 mi), Sweetwater TN (147 mi), Moneta VA (149 mi), Athens TN (156 mi), Somerset KY (165 mi), Athens GA (168 mi), Washington GA (168 mi), Darlington SC (169 mi), Richmond KY (174 mi), Crossville TN (174 mi), Mt. Sterling KY (177 mi), Rustburg VA (177 mi), Stanford KY (182 mi), Albany KY (184 mi), Greensboro GA (188 mi), Russell Springs KY (188 mi), Orangeburg SC (188 mi), Ripley WV (190 mi), Flemingsburg KY (191 mi), Paris KY (196 mi), Lexington KY (197 mi).

Text me Avery County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Wilkes Livestock Exchange North Wilkesboro, NC 44 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  2. Volunteer Stockyards Greeneville, TN 51 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  3. Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Shelby, NC 58 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  4. WNC Regional Livestock Center Canton, NC 63 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  5. Harward Brothers Livestock Market Turnersburg, NC 63 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 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 North Carolina): Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Avery County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Avery 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 Avery County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Avery County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on a sliver (<1%) of the county. 0 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 Avery County?

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

What sale barns are near Avery County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: North Wilkesboro NC (44 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Greeneville TN (51 mi), last report Nov 14, 2026; Shelby NC (58 mi), last report Nov 10, 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.