Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Alabama › Clay County

Clay County, AL

Cattle prices near Clay County, Alabama. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Lineville AL in Lineville, AL, about 7 miles away. The latest report is dated Nov 10 (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 1 payment Burn ban Checkcall the county Lineville AL 5-wt steers $365per cwt

Clay County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Clay County, AL showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, though 5% at abnormally dry (D0); 5% of the county is abnormally dry (D0) or worse, the same as four weeks earlier. Over 90 days rain is at 71% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 31% (well below normal); no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 3% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. Clay County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 1 monthly payment, and Lineville AL is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 7 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 31% of normal
  • Last 60 days 71% of normal
  • Last 90 days 71% 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 Widespread Frost then Mostly Sunny, high 60°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 5 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 61°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 5 mph
  3. Tuesday Patchy Frost then Sunny, high 64°, low 37°, 0% rain, wind 5–10 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 68°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 5–10 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 70°, low 43°, 0% rain, wind 5 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 70°, low 43°, 1% rain, wind 5 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 71°, low 47°, 3% rain, wind 0–5 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 Clay 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.

Clay County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Clay County grew about 2,420 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 120% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,020 pounds per acre. That was the 5th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1993 at 2,640 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,129.

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 Clay 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

Clay 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)

Prices

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Lineville AL 7 miNov 10–
Roanoke AL 30 miNov 11$380
Ashville AL 46 miNov 9–
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

Lineville AL 7 mi

Lineville, AL
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb4367.56$1,650
Heifers 500-599 lb17310.98$1,710
Heifers 600-699 lb7306.84$1,990

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Roanoke AL 30 mi

Roanoke, AL
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb10356.71$1,610
Heifers 500-599 lb19323.76$1,780
Heifers 600-699 lb6321.62$2,090
Steers 500-599 lb1380.00$2,090
Steers 600-699 lb5342.00$2,220
Steers 700-799 lb23322.39$2,420

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Ashville AL 46 mi

Ashville, AL
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb10360.44$1,620
Heifers 500-599 lb12327.06$1,800
Heifers 600-699 lb10305.50$1,990
Heifers 700-799 lb2294.88$2,210
Steers 700-799 lb11310.48$2,330

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

40 more within 200 mi: Carrollton GA (50 mi), Kilpatrick AL (70 mi), Arab AL (82 mi), Cullman AL (84 mi), Letohatchee AL (87 mi), Thomaston GA (93 mi), Calhoun GA (100 mi), Brundidge AL (107 mi), Uniontown AL (110 mi), Jackson GA (110 mi), Moulton AL (117 mi), New Brockton AL (131 mi), Fayetteville TN (136 mi), Russellville AL (137 mi), Opp AL (139 mi), Dothan AL (143 mi), Florence AL (149 mi), Pulaski TN (149 mi), Athens GA (151 mi), Hawkinsville GA (154 mi), Frisco City AL (155 mi), Macon MS (156 mi), Greensboro GA (156 mi), West Point MS (163 mi), Donalsonville GA (165 mi), McMinnville TN (167 mi), Unionville TN (167 mi), Athens TN (167 mi), Ashburn GA (168 mi), Carnesville GA (169 mi), Eastanollee GA (173 mi), Meridian MS (175 mi), Columbia TN (176 mi), Sweetwater TN (180 mi), Washington GA (183 mi), Houston MS (186 mi), Fitzgerald GA (186 mi), Savannah TN (191 mi), Crossville TN (191 mi), Philadelphia MS (192 mi).

Drought

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

Programs

Drought pasture pay (LFP)

On FSA's 2026 list for 6 pasture types. Up to 1 monthly payments.

Bring head counts, grazing leases and pasture acres to your county FSA office.

How to read this

Each bar is a pasture type; the number is how many monthly payments it qualifies for (1 to 5).

Pasture table
Pasture typeGrazing periodQualifying datePayments
Annual Crabgrass2026-03-01 to 2026-11-302026-05-181
Forage Sorghum2026-05-01 to 2026-10-312026-05-281
Full Season Improve Mixed2025-12-01 to 2026-10-152026-05-181
Full Season Improved2026-04-01 to 2026-11-302026-05-181
Native Pasture2026-03-01 to 2026-11-302026-05-181
Short Season Small Grains2026-05-01 to 2026-07-152026-05-281

FSA "Counties & Pasture Types Eligible for 2026 LFP", file dated Nov 5, 2026 (download). FSA decides eligibility. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: How LFP works and who qualifies

Guide: ELAP and LIP basics

USDA disaster declarations

  • Apr 6, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Clay) · crop year 2026
  • Sep 15, 2025 · Excessive Rain, Moisture, Humidity
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Clay) · crop year 2025

"Declared" means USDA named this county. "Neighboring" means it touches a declared county. Either way, FSA emergency loans can open for about 8 months. FSA designation files (dated Jan 28, 2026, Oct 19, 2026). Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: What a disaster designation means

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Not on the list Clay County is not on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list as of Nov 5, 2026. Non-emergency haying and grazing may still be allowed outside the primary nesting season.

Before haying and grazing, contact your FSA county office to see if your county remains eligible and/or obtain a modified conservation plan. This list is cumulative for the year and current local conditions may have changed.

Source: FSA eligible-county table posted Nov 5, 2026 · map · FSA program page. FSA posts a new file every Thursday. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: CRP emergency haying and grazing rules

Screwworm (Texas Animal Health Commission)

Data pending. animal-health alerts are read for Texas (TAHC) and Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico (state ag departments); Alabama's state veterinarian isn't read yet

Guide: Screwworm: what to know

New FSA programs: watch list
DateScopeReleaseFlag
Nov 4, 2026MississippiUSDA Designates one Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 4, 2026Hawaii and Pacific IslandsUSDA Extends Application Deadline for Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Guam and CNMI Counties for Typhoon Bavi Impacts
Nov 4, 2026NebraskaUSDA Authorizes Deadline Extension for Emergency Conservation Program in Several Wildfire-Impacted Counties
Nov 4, 2026FloridaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 3, 2026AlabamaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas

Weather & fire

Next 7 days · National Weather Service

Weather for Clay County

Forecast for the center point of Clay County.

    1. Today Widespread Frost then Mostly Sunny 60° 34° NE 5 mph 0% rain
    2. Mon Mostly Sunny 61° 35° E 5 mph 0% rain
    3. Tue Patchy Frost then Sunny 64° 37° E 5–10 mph 0% rain
    4. Wed Sunny 68° 41° E 5–10 mph 0% rain
    5. Thu Mostly Sunny 70° 43° E 5 mph 0% rain
    6. Fri Sunny 70° 43° NE 5 mph 1% rain
    7. Sat Sunny 71° 47° SE 0–5 mph 3% 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 Alabama; 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
    3.83 in 111% of normal
    Last 12 months
    50.14 in 88%
    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 3.44 in; same month last year 3.02 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 Clay County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.

    Ashland 3 Ene weather station (5 mi away)

    Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
    Frost (32°F)
    211-day growing season
    		 Apr 4
    1 year in 10 it's after Apr 19
    		 Nov 1
    1 year in 10 it's before Oct 20
    Hard freeze (28°F)
    236-day growing season
    		 Mar 22
    1 year in 10 it's after Apr 8
    		 Nov 11
    1 year in 10 it's before Oct 29

    Talladega weather station (19 mi away)

    Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
    Frost (32°F)
    208-day growing season
    		 Apr 5
    1 year in 10 it's after Apr 22
    		 Nov 1
    1 year in 10 it's before Oct 19
    Hard freeze (28°F)
    231-day growing season
    		 Mar 25
    1 year in 10 it's after Apr 11
    		 Nov 10
    1 year in 10 it's before Oct 29

    Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ashland 3 Ene, Talladega), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Nov 11, 2026.

    Money

    FSA grain loan rates (2026)

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

    CropClay CountyNational average
    Corn$2.61 /bu $2.42 /bu
    Grain sorghum$4.57 /cwt
    ($2.56 /bu)
    		 $2.42 /bu
    Soybeans$6.89 /bu $6.82 /bu
    Soft red winter wheat$3.16 /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.

    Data pending. last fetch failed: HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/arc-plc/program-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 Clay County

    Data pending. last fetch failed: HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/tools/informational/freedom-information-act-foia/electronic-reading-room/frequently-requested/payment-files

    Guide: ARC and PLC basics

    Crop conditions (statewide)

    Alabama crop and pasture condition

    Alabama statewide, not just your county. From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Nov 8, 2026.

    ConditionPoor or
    very poor    		FairGood or
    excellent

    Progress

    AlabamaThis weekLast weekNormal (5-yr avg)
    Cotton Harvested68%62%68%

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

    Deadlines

    • Dec 1, 2026in 16 days
      Last day to buy 2027 pasture rain insurance (PRF)
      Crop insurance (RMA)
      Details and source
      Plans: Rainfall Index
      Date posted: USDA crop insurance (RMA)
      Source: USDA RMA · more · checked Aug 28, 2026
    • Mar 1, 2027in 106 days
      Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): application and papers for 2026 losses are due by this date.
      FSA disaster programs · 7 CFR 1416.206(a)
      Details and source
      Rule: 7 CFR 1416.206(a) (FSA rule, Jan 17, 2025)
      Source: USDA FSA · checked Oct 18, 2026
    • Mar 1, 2027in 106 days
      Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP): notice of loss, application and papers for 2026 losses are due by this date.
      FSA disaster programs · 7 CFR 1416.107
      Details and source
      Rule: 7 CFR 1416.107 (FSA rule, Jan 17, 2025)
      Source: USDA FSA · checked Oct 18, 2026
    • Mar 1, 2027in 106 days
      Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): notice of loss, application and papers for 2026 losses are due by this date.
      FSA disaster programs · 7 CFR 1416.305(b)
      Details and source
      Rule: 7 CFR 1416.305(b) (FSA rule, Jan 17, 2025)
      Source: USDA FSA · checked Oct 18, 2026

    All deadlines and report dates · FSA disaster-program deadlines are pending (no official feed).

    Guide: PRF insurance and the Dec 1 deadline

    Guide: How to apply for EQIP or CSP

    Guide: Ag land property tax in OK, KS and NM

    Land

    Where it is, with barns within 200 mi

    Dots are sale barns USDA reports on. Tap one for its latest prices.

    Who owns this land? Open the county property map

    Grass grown on rangeland and pasture

    Grass grown in 2025: 2,420 lb per acre, well above normal (120% of the 1991-2020 average of 2,020).

    How to read this

    Each bar is one year's grass (darker = perennial grasses, lighter = annuals). The dashed line is the 1991-2020 average. A county average with cropland excluded, not your pasture.

    How we got this

    Satellite estimate of new above-ground growth of grasses and forbs for the year (annual + perennial, lb/acre), averaged over the county's grassland, pasture and shrubland (24% of the county in USDA's 2025 cropland map; farm fields are left out because the estimate isn't valid there, and the same 2025 map is used for every year). About about 120 m (RAP overview). Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform biomass v3 (data, Jones et al. 2021, CC0) and USDA NASS Cropland Data Layer.

    Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform, 2025 season. Fetched Nov 13, 2026.

    Text me Clay County changes

    Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

    1. Clay County Livestock Auction Lineville, AL 7 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
    2. Roanoke Stockyards Roanoke, AL 30 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
    3. Ashville Stockyard Ashville, AL 46 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
    4. Carroll County Livestock Carrollton, GA 50 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
    5. Sand Mountain Stockyards Inc. Kilpatrick, AL 70 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

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

    Common questions and nearby counties

    Is Clay County eligible for LFP in 2026?

    Yes. Clay County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 1 monthly payment 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 Clay County this week?

    On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Clay County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 5% 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 Clay County?

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

    What sale barns are near Clay County?

    The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Lineville AL (7 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Roanoke AL (30 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Ashville AL (46 mi), last report Nov 9, 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.