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Clay County, WV

Cattle prices near Clay County, West Virginia. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ripley WV in Ripley, WV, about 42 miles away. On Nov 7, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $358.08 per hundredweight on 46 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 2 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Ripley WV 5-wt steers $358per cwt

Clay County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Clay County, WV showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map. Over 90 days rain is at 151% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 56% (below normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain) and today carries the week's highest rain chance at 26% (high 48°). Clay County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 2 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Ripley WV, 42 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 56% of normal
  • Last 60 days 159% of normal
  • Last 90 days 151% 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 drier than normal (33% chance of below-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 Chance Light Rain then Chance Rain Showers, high 48°, low 30°, 26% rain, wind 1–3 mph
  2. Monday Partly Sunny, high 52°, low 24°, 1% rain, wind 0–1 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 58°, low 26°, 0% rain, wind 0 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 64°, low 31°, 0% rain, wind 0–1 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 64°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 0–1 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 0 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 68°, low 42°, 3% rain, wind 2 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 2,356 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 136% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,738 pounds per acre. That was the 2nd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2024 at 2,381 pounds per acre; worst: 1997 at 1,374.

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)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

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

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Ripley WV 42 miNov 7$358
Weston WV 52 miOct 31$368
Buckhannon WV 59 miOct 28$389
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

Ripley WV 42 mi

Ripley, WV
Sale of Nov 7, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb30349.04$1,570
Heifers 500-599 lb38302.71$1,660
Heifers 600-699 lb10275.50$1,790
Heifers 700-799 lb6252.13$1,890
Steers 400-499 lb33377.20$1,700
Steers 500-599 lb46358.08$1,970
Steers 600-699 lb18332.81$2,160
Steers 700-799 lb8305.44$2,290

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Weston WV 52 mi

Weston, WV
Sale of Oct 31, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb17352.51$1,590
Heifers 500-599 lb15318.58$1,750
Heifers 600-699 lb7300.71$1,950
Heifers 700-799 lb2252.50$1,890
Steers 400-499 lb12406.94$1,830
Steers 500-599 lb23368.06$2,020
Steers 600-699 lb4328.43$2,130
Steers 700-799 lb3283.87$2,130

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Buckhannon WV 59 mi

Buckhannon, WV
Sale of Oct 28, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb5302.00$1,360
Heifers 500-599 lb9284.42$1,560
Heifers 600-699 lb1252.50$1,640
Steers 400-499 lb12431.67$1,940
Steers 500-599 lb4389.38$2,140
Steers 600-699 lb2320.00$2,080

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

22 more within 200 mi: Monterey VA (81 mi), Dublin VA (96 mi), Roanoke VA (102 mi), Terra Alta WV (107 mi), Moneta VA (119 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Shenandoah) (120 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Rockingham) (120 mi), Moorefield WV (122 mi), Rustburg VA (136 mi), Flemingsburg KY (144 mi), Radiant VA (156 mi), Mt. Sterling KY (158 mi), North Wilkesboro NC (158 mi), Winchester VA (164 mi), Culpeper VA (167 mi), Paris KY (174 mi), Turnersburg NC (177 mi), Marshall VA (177 mi), Richmond KY (182 mi), Greeneville TN (185 mi), Lexington KY (187 mi), Blackstone VA (193 mi).

Text me Clay County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Jackson County Regional Ripley, WV 42 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 7, 2026
  2. Weston Livestock Marketing Weston, WV 52 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Oct 31, 2026
  3. Buckhannon Stockyards Buckhannon, WV 59 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Oct 28, 2026
  4. Monterey Stockyard LLC Monterey, VA 81 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Oct 21, 2026
  5. Pulaski Livestock Dublin, VA 96 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Sep 23, 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 West Virginia): Kentucky

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 2 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 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 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 Clay County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for West Virginia; 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: Ripley WV (42 mi), last report Nov 7, 2026; Weston WV (52 mi), last report Oct 31, 2026; Buckhannon WV (59 mi), last report Oct 28, 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.