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Boone County, NE

Cattle prices near Boone County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ericson in Ericson, NE, about 32 miles away. On Nov 14, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $451.18 per hundredweight on 526 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 Ericson 5-wt steers $451▲ $15 since last sale

Boone County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Boone County, NE with no drought; four weeks earlier 42% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Over 90 days rain is at 184% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 181% (well above normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain) and the best rain chance this week is 75% on Friday (high 62°). Boone County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Ericson is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 32 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 181% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 184% 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 (60% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 53°, low 36°, 1% rain, wind 9–13 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 41°, 1% rain, wind 10–18 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 55°, low 46°, 0% rain, wind 16–24 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 35°, 8% rain, wind 3–25 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 55°, low 43°, 21% rain, wind 2–13 mph
  6. Friday Rain Showers Likely, high 62°, low 41°, 75% rain, wind 14–20 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers, high 50°, low 28°, 25% rain, wind 5–21 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 Boone 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.

Boone County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Boone County grew about 2,316 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 111% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,081 pounds per acre. That was the 6th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,547 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,581.

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 Boone 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

Boone 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, past 12 months

0% of the county in severe drought or worse.

How to read this

Each band is how much of the county was in that drought level that week. Darker = worse. D2 (severe) and darker can trigger USDA drought pay.

Right now: 0% of the county is in severe drought or worse; some of it has been for 0 weeks running. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026.

Guide: What D0–D4 mean

See the drought map

Text me Boone County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 32 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  2. Burwell Livestock Market Burwell, NE 55 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  3. West Point Livestock (feeder cattle) West Point, NE 71 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 2026
  4. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 87 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Bassett Livestock Auction Bassett, NE 97 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 Nebraska

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Boone County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Boone 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 Boone County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Boone 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 Boone County?

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

What sale barns are near Boone County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Ericson (32 mi), last report Nov 14, 2026; Burwell (55 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; West Point (71 mi), last report Nov 2, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Whole Farm Revenue Protection 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.