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Baxter County, AR

Cattle prices near Baxter County, Arkansas. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ash Flat AR in Ash Flat, AR, about 40 miles away. On Nov 13, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $369.08 per hundredweight on 10 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Baxter County is on FSA's list (since Sep 29, 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 5 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Ash Flat AR 5-wt steers $369per cwt

Baxter County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Baxter County, AR was in moderate drought (D1), with 23% at severe drought (D2); some part has been in severe drought (D2) or worse for 7 straight weeks. Rain has run 39% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain) and Saturday carries the week's highest rain chance at 33% (high 71°). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Baxter County with up to 5 monthly payments, and Ash Flat AR is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 40 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 39% of normal
  • Last 60 days 52% of normal
  • Last 90 days not read yet

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 (40% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans toward near-normal rain

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 55°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 58°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 0 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 60°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 64°, low 45°, 3% rain, wind 0–10 mph
  5. Thursday Partly Sunny, high 67°, low 48°, 6% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 70°, low 49°, 2% rain, wind 0–10 mph
  7. Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 71°, low 47°, 33% rain, wind 5–15 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 Baxter 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.

Baxter County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Baxter County grew about 3,438 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 114% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 3,013 pounds per acre. That was the 2nd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 3,505 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 2,060.

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 Baxter 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

Baxter 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)

Next 7 days · National Weather Service

Weather for Baxter County

Forecast for the center point of Baxter County.

  • Freeze on 2 nights
  1. Today Mostly Sunny 55° 30° ESE 0–5 mph 0% rain
  2. Mon Sunny 58° 32° 0 mph 0% rain
  3. Tue Sunny 60° 35° ESE 0–5 mph 0% rain
  4. Wed Sunny 64° 45° SSE 0–10 mph 3% rain
  5. Thu Partly Sunny 67° 48° S 0–5 mph 6% rain
  6. Fri Mostly Sunny 70° 49° SSE 0–10 mph 2% rain
  7. Sat Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers 71° 47° S 5–15 mph 33% rain

Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind arrows point where the wind is going; the letters say where it comes from. Windy = 25 mph or more; freeze = a low of 32°F or less. Open the full forecast.

Burn ban

Data pending. Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Arkansas; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices

No official ban list to check here, so Cownty shows the National Weather Service fire-weather alerts for the county instead: none right now.

Guide: Burn bans: where to check and what they mean

Weather warnings right now

None right now

National Weather Service active alerts for this county, as of Nov 15, 2026 (source). Fetched Nov 15, 2026.

Rainfall vs normal

Oct 2026
2.76 in 73% of normal
Last 12 months
31.50 in 66%
How to read this

Bars are the rain that fell each month; the dashed line is a normal month (1991-2020 average). Bars below the line = drier than normal.

County-average precipitation, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026. Normal = NCEI's own 1991-2020 average for each month (Oct 2026 normal 3.79 in; same month last year 2.48 in). NCEI posts each month around the 8th of the next and may revise recent months. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance. Fetched Nov 14, 2026.

Wildfires

No current fire perimeter in the county

No current perimeter within 100 mi of the county center (48 mapped nationally).

See the fire map

Interagency fire outlines. Small or brand-new fires are often not mapped yet; call 911 for a fire you can see. Layer updated Nov 15, 2026. Source: National Interagency Fire Center. Fetched Nov 15, 2026.

Frost dates

Frost and freeze dates

30-year averages (1991–2020) from the weather stations nearest Baxter County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.

Mtn Home 1 Nnw weather station (6 mi away)

Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
Frost (32°F)
214-day growing season
 Mar 31
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 18
 Nov 1
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 19
Hard freeze (28°F)
237-day growing season
 Mar 20
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 5
 Nov 12
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 30

Mountain Home Baxter Ap weather station (10 mi away)

Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
Frost (32°F)
212-day growing season
 Apr 2
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 19
 Nov 1
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 19
Hard freeze (28°F)
235-day growing season
 Mar 20
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 7
 Nov 11
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 30

Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Mtn Home 1 Nnw, Mountain Home Baxter Ap), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Nov 11, 2026.

Text me Baxter County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Ash Flat Livestock Ash Flat, AR 40 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  2. Ozarks Regional Stockyards (feeder cattle) West Plains, MO 41 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  3. Cleburne County Livestock Heber Springs, AR 57 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  4. Green Forest Stockyards Green Forest, AR 61 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Arkansas Cattle Auction LLC Searcy, AR 79 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 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 Arkansas): Missouri, Oklahoma

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Baxter County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Baxter County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 5 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 Baxter County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Baxter County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on 23% of the county. 7 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 Baxter County?

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

What sale barns are near Baxter County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Ash Flat AR (40 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; West Plains MO (41 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Heber Springs AR (57 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Apply for NRCS conservation cost-share (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) to be considered for 2027 money; 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.