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Chatham County, NC

Cattle prices near Chatham County, North Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Siler City NC in Siler City, NC, about 12 miles away. The latest report is dated Nov 9 (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Chatham County is on FSA's list (since Sep 15, 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 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Smithfield NC 5-wt steers $328▼ $20 since last sale

Chatham County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Chatham County, NC was in moderate drought (D1), with 18% at severe drought (D2); week 9 in a row with some severe drought (D2) or worse. Rain has run 46% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal) and 66% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 5% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. Chatham County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Siler City NC is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 12 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 46% of normal
  • Last 60 days 61% of normal
  • Last 90 days 66% 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 Sunny, high 56°, low 31°, 0% rain, wind 1–6 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 60°, low 29°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 63°, low 31°, 0% rain, wind 0–2 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 66°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 0–2 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 69°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 0–1 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 70°, low 37°, 1% rain, wind 1–2 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 69°, low 40°, 5% 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 Chatham 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.

Chatham County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Chatham County grew about 3,226 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 124% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,595 pounds per acre. That was the 3rd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2024 at 3,341 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,560.

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 Chatham 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

Chatham 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
Siler City NC 12 miNov 9–
Smithfield NC 52 miNov 12$328
Norwood NC 58 miNov 11$360
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

Siler City NC 12 mi

Siler City, NC
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb6319.67$1,440
Heifers 500-599 lb3282.37$1,550
Heifers 600-699 lb1250.00$1,620
Steers 400-499 lb1420.00$1,890
Steers 600-699 lb2313.45$2,040

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Smithfield NC 52 mi

Smithfield, NC
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb21321.85$1,450
Heifers 500-599 lb69300.21$1,650
Heifers 600-699 lb14257.85$1,680
Heifers 700-799 lb7243.61$1,830
Steers 400-499 lb12346.51$1,560
Steers 500-599 lb41327.54$1,800
Steers 600-699 lb27314.42$2,040
Steers 700-799 lb6315.20$2,360

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Norwood NC 58 mi

Norwood, NC
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb56347.79$1,570
Heifers 500-599 lb41313.63$1,720
Heifers 600-699 lb8284.89$1,850
Heifers 700-799 lb3251.57$1,890
Steers 400-499 lb15367.46$1,650
Steers 500-599 lb24360.00$1,980
Steers 600-699 lb8324.98$2,110
Steers 700-799 lb4315.00$2,360

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

19 more within 200 mi: Turnersburg NC (88 mi), Chadbourn NC (98 mi), Darlington SC (103 mi), Moneta VA (104 mi), Rustburg VA (109 mi), North Wilkesboro NC (110 mi), Roanoke VA (116 mi), Blackstone VA (118 mi), Dublin VA (126 mi), Shelby NC (132 mi), Laurens SC (177 mi), Orangeburg SC (178 mi), Saluda SC (Stockyards) (185 mi), Saluda SC (Exchange) (185 mi), Monterey VA (188 mi), Radiant VA (189 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Shenandoah) (190 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Rockingham) (190 mi), Williamston SC (197 mi).

Text me Chatham County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Carolina Stockyards Siler City, NC 12 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Powell Livestock Company Smithfield, NC 52 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  3. Stanly County Livestock Market Norwood, NC 58 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Harward Brothers Livestock Market Turnersburg, NC 88 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  5. Southeastern Auction Co. Inc. Chadbourn, NC 98 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 Chatham County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Chatham 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 Chatham County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Chatham County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on 18% of the county. 9 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 Chatham 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 Chatham County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Siler City NC (12 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Smithfield NC (52 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Norwood NC (58 mi), last report Nov 11, 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.