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Boulder County, CO

Cattle prices near Boulder County, Colorado. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Brush in Brush, CO, about 94 miles away. On Nov 13, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $435.27 per hundredweight on 99 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Boulder 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 ExtremeD3 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 5 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Brush 5-wt steers $435▲ $7 since last sale

Boulder County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Boulder County, CO was in extreme drought (D3) on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, with 16% at exceptional drought (D4), and D2-or-worse drought has held there 65 weeks running. Over 90 days rain is at 102% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 32% (well below normal); the NWS forecast peaks at a 67% rain chance on Friday (high 46°) 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 Boulder County with up to 5 monthly payments, and Brush is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 94 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 32% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 102% 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 (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 48°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 0–6 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Sunny, high 55°, low 37°, 9% rain, wind 0–7 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 47°, low 32°, 5% rain, wind 1–12 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 47°, low 34°, 12% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  6. Friday Snow Showers Likely, high 46°, low 31°, 67% rain, wind 1–5 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Snow Showers, high 39°, low 28°, 33% rain, wind 2–3 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 Boulder 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.

Boulder County grass production

Grass production for Boulder County: not read yet.

Open loss windows 1 open

What happenedStartedTell FSA early byFSA deadline
Exceptional drought (D4) reached (U.S. Drought Monitor) Nov 3, 2026Dec 3, 2026 (18 days left)Mar 1, 2027

If this cost you livestock, extra feed or hauled water, call your county FSA office now, while it's fresh. The 30-day date is a suggestion from Cownty; FSA's deadline for the notice of loss and application is the March 1 date. Log it in your Drought Ledger · Find your FSA office and phone

Text YES CLOCK for a reminder on day 21 and day 28.

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

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

Boulder 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)

FSA grain loan rates (2026)

What FSA will lend on stored grain, per bushel. Lets you hold grain instead of selling at harvest.

CropBoulder CountyNational average
Corn$2.60 /bu $2.42 /bu
Grain sorghum$4.30 /cwt
($2.41 /bu)
 $2.42 /bu
Soybeans$6.42 /bu $6.82 /bu
Hard red winter wheat$3.48 /bu $3.72 /bu
Hard red spring wheat$3.71 /bu $3.72 /bu

County marketing-loan rates. Sorghum's county rate is set per 100 lb; the per-bushel figure uses 56 lb a bushel. Source: FSA 2026 corn/sorghum/soybean schedule, wheat schedule, national rates. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

FSA farm loan interest rates

FSA direct loanRate
Farm Operating - Direct5.625%
Farm Operating - Microloan5.625%
Farm Ownership - Direct6.250%
Farm Ownership - Microloan6.250%
Farm Ownership - Direct, Joint Financing4.250%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment2.250%
Emergency Loan - Amount of Actual Loss3.750%

Set nationally by FSA; the same in every county. Effective Nov 1, 2026. Source: FSA current loan interest rates. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Farm program payments by crop (ARC and PLC)

ARC pays when county crop revenue falls below its guarantee. PLC pays when the national price falls below the reference price. You picked one per crop when you enrolled.

2026 program year guarantees only FSA file of Jan 16, 2026

CropGuaranteeMost it can pay
Barley $486.80 $64.91
Corn $861.71 $114.90
Oats $189.71 $25.29
Sunflower Seed $192.11 $25.61
Wheat $296.14 $39.48
Show the math
CropBenchmark yield × priceBenchmark revenue
Barley84.12 bushel/ac × $6.43$540.89
Corn190.35 bushel/ac × $5.03$957.46
Oats53.5 bushel/ac × $3.94$210.79
Sunflower Seed849.73 pound/ac × $0.25$213.45
Wheat47.14 bushel/ac × $6.98$329.04

Dollars per base acre, before the 85% payment-acre factor and sequestration. Source: FSA ARC-CO 2026 county data.

2025 program year final payment rates FSA file of Nov 2, 2026

CropGuaranteeActual revenueARC payment
Barley $414.94 $508.33$0.00
Corn $860.49 $778.09$82.40
Grain Sorghum $202.25 $133.18$26.97
Oats $184.90 $137.24$24.65
Sunflower Seed $206.19 $288.94$0.00
Wheat $272.83 $267.27$5.56
Show the math
CropBenchmark yield × priceBenchmark revenue
Barley75.58 bushel/ac × $6.10$461.04
Corn190.08 bushel/ac × $5.03$956.10
Grain Sorghum42.4 bushel/ac × $5.30$224.72
Oats53.5 bushel/ac × $3.84$205.44
Sunflower Seed912.73 pound/ac × $0.25$229.10
Wheat43.43 bushel/ac × $6.98$303.14

Dollars per base acre, before the 85% payment-acre factor and sequestration. Source: FSA ARC-CO 2025 county data.

PLC, 2026 FSA table of Oct 30, 2026

CropReference priceSeason avg pricePLC payment
Wheat /bushel$6.35$6.30 projected$0.05 projected
Barley /bushel$5.58$5.70 projected$0.00 projected
Oats /bushel$3.05$3.35 projected$0.00 projected
Corn /bushel$4.42$4.70 projected$0.00 projected
Grain Sorghum /bushel$4.67$4.50 projected$0.17 projected
Soybeans /bushel$10.71$12.00 projected$0.00 projected

PLC rates are national (paid on the farm's PLC yield). Source: FSA 2026 PLC table. FSA decides who is paid.

FSA payments in Boulder County

$786,966

144 payments dated Jan 10, 2025 to Dec 8, 2025 (FSA payment file 2025).

ProgramYearTotal
Marketing Assistance For Specialty Crops2025$377,388
Emergency Commodity Assistance Program2024$188,312
ARC county payments2024$128,668
Emerg Assist Livestock Bees Fish (Elap)2024$26,450
Supplemental disaster relief (crops)2024$24,707
LFP drought pasture pay2024$20,955
Emergency Livestock Relief (2023-24 drought)2024$10,843
Supplemental disaster relief (crops)2023$7,594

Plus 2 smaller program lines.

County totals only: Cownty sums FSA's public payment file by county and never stores names or addresses. FSA files payments under its administrative county (Boulder), which may differ from where the land is. Source: FSA payment file via the FOIA reading room.

Guide: ARC and PLC basics

Crop conditions (statewide)

Colorado crop and pasture condition

Colorado statewide, not just your county. Wheat planting is on pace with normal (99% vs 98%). From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Nov 8, 2026.

ConditionPoor or
very poor		FairGood or
excellent
Winter Wheat12%44% 44%

Progress

ColoradoThis weekLast weekNormal (5-yr avg)
Winter Wheat Planted99%99%98%
Winter Wheat Emerged90%81%87%
Sorghum Harvested80%65%83%
Corn Harvested77%65%79%

Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress released Nov 9, 2026 (ESMIS), Colorado rows. Week ending Nov 8, 2026. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Text me Boulder County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Livestock Exchange (Friday feeder cattle) Brush, CO 94 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  2. Sterling Livestock Commission Sterling, CO 122 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Torrington Livestock Commission Co. (feeder cattle) Torrington, WY 150 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. La Junta Livestock Commission La Junta, CO 176 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Winter Livestock (Tuesday) La Junta, CO 177 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

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 Boulder County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Boulder 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 Boulder County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Boulder County was in extreme drought (D3), and the worst part was exceptional drought (D4) on 16% of the county. 65 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 Boulder 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 Boulder County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Brush (94 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; Sterling (122 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Torrington WY (150 mi), last report Nov 11, 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.