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Baca County, CO

Cattle prices near Baca County, Colorado. The closest sale barn with a recent report is La Junta Winter in La Junta, CO, about 71 miles away. On Nov 10, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $356.62 per hundredweight on 13 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Baca 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 No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county La Junta Winter 5-wt steers $357▼ $23 since last sale

Baca County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Baca County, CO showed no drought; four weeks earlier 81% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Over 90 days rain is at 253% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 367% (well above normal); no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 15% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Baca County with up to 4 monthly payments, and La Junta Winter is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 71 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 367% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 253% 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 wetter than normal (50% chance of above-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 Patchy Fog, high 43°, low 33°, 2% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 56°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 43°, 2% rain, wind 25–35 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 64°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 5–25 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 61°, low 46°, 5% rain, wind 5–30 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 66°, low 40°, 15% rain, wind 15–30 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 57°, low 32°, 6% rain, wind 10–15 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 Baca 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.

Baca County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Baca County grew about 1,437 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 119% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,210 pounds per acre. That was the 7th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2023 at 1,758 pounds per acre; worst: 2011 at 735.

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 Baca 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

Baca 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
La Junta Winter 71 miNov 10$357
La Junta LJLC 75 miNov 11$398
Dalhart 88 miNov 12$424
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

La Junta Winter 71 mi

La Junta, CO
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb10339.40$1,530
Heifers 500-599 lb9320.82$1,760
Heifers 600-699 lb24310.07$2,020
Heifers 700-799 lb53297.01$2,230
Steers 400-499 lb14404.14$1,820
Steers 500-599 lb13356.62$1,960
Steers 600-699 lb8306.00$1,990
Steers 700-799 lb23331.00$2,480

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

La Junta LJLC 75 mi

La Junta, CO
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb239368.22$1,660
Heifers 500-599 lb240336.53$1,850
Heifers 600-699 lb143295.10$1,920
Heifers 700-799 lb30256.84$1,930
Steers 400-499 lb228456.97$2,060
Steers 500-599 lb258398.48$2,190
Steers 600-699 lb339332.54$2,160
Steers 700-799 lb30308.72$2,320

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Dalhart 88 mi

Dalhart, TX
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb99424.04$1,910
Heifers 500-599 lb85362.07$1,990
Heifers 600-699 lb93329.54$2,140
Heifers 700-799 lb4425.00$3,190
Steers 400-499 lb73495.12$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb137424.26$2,330
Steers 600-699 lb101373.31$2,430
Steers 700-799 lb133344.13$2,580

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

5 more within 200 mi: Beaver (116 mi), Dodge City (143 mi), Wildorado (148 mi), Woodward (185 mi), Tulia (197 mi).

Text me Baca County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Winter Livestock (Tuesday) La Junta, CO 71 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  2. La Junta Livestock Commission La Junta, CO 75 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Dalhart, TX 88 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  4. Beaver Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Beaver, OK 116 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  5. Winter Livestock Dodge City, KS 143 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 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

Other barns nearby (not USDA-reported)

These barns are not in a USDA AMS report, so Cownty shows no prices for them. Sale days and phones come from the barns' own sites or public listings; call the barn to confirm. More barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Colorado

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Baca County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Baca 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 Baca County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Baca County was in no drought, and the worst part was no drought on 0% 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 Baca County?

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

What sale barns are near Baca County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: La Junta Winter (71 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; La Junta LJLC (75 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Dalhart (88 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Colorado EQIP/CSP/RCPP/ACEP application ranking cutoff (FY 2027); 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.