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Dare County, NC

Cattle prices near Dare County, North Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ayden NC in Ayden, NC, about 95 miles away. The latest report is dated Oct 22 (the barn's own posted report). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Dare County is on FSA's list (since Oct 27, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought SevereD2 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 2 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Smithfield NC 5-wt steers $328▼ $20 since last sale

Dare County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Dare County, NC was in severe drought (D2) on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map; some part has been in severe drought (D2) or worse for 3 straight weeks. Rain has run 12% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal) and 75% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 15% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 equal chances of more or less rain than normal. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Dare County with up to 2 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Smithfield NC, 145 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 12% of normal
  • Last 60 days 19% of normal
  • Last 90 days 75% 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) Equal chances of more or less rain than normal
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Equal chances of more or less rain than normal

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 54°, low 45°, 5% rain, wind 8–12 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 46°, 5% rain, wind 8–15 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 58°, low 47°, 0% rain, wind 7–14 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 61°, low 47°, 0% rain, wind 2–10 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 65°, low 49°, 0% rain, wind 5–7 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 50°, 1% rain, wind 6–9 mph
  7. Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 67°, low 53°, 15% rain, wind 7–13 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 Dare 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.

Dare County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Dare County grew about 1,796 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 127% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,409 pounds per acre. That was the 11th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2004 at 2,391 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 402.

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 1 open

What happenedStartedTell FSA early byFSA deadline
Severe drought (D2) began (U.S. Drought Monitor) Oct 27, 2026Nov 26, 2026 (11 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

Dare 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
Smithfield NC 145 miNov 12$328
Blackstone VA 161 miNov 11$372
Chadbourn NC 194 miNov 9$325
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

Smithfield NC 145 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

Blackstone VA 161 mi

Blackstone, VA
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb5350.60$1,580
Heifers 500-599 lb3318.02$1,750
Heifers 600-699 lb6305.00$1,980
Heifers 700-799 lb1282.00$2,120
Steers 400-499 lb2410.00$1,840
Steers 500-599 lb4372.00$2,050
Steers 600-699 lb5347.00$2,260
Steers 700-799 lb2317.00$2,380

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Chadbourn NC 194 mi

Chadbourn, NC
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb1300.00$1,350
Heifers 500-599 lb2283.57$1,560
Heifers 600-699 lb3285.03$1,850
Steers 500-599 lb2325.47$1,790
Steers 600-699 lb1300.00$1,950
Steers 700-799 lb1272.50$2,040

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Text me Dare County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Powell Livestock Company Smithfield, NC 145 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  2. Southside Livestock Blackstone, VA 161 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Southeastern Auction Co. Inc. Chadbourn, NC 194 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  4. Carolina Stockyards Siler City, NC 208 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  5. Lynchburg Livestock Rustburg, VA 218 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

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 · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for North Carolina): Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Dare County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Dare 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 Dare County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Dare County was in severe drought (D2), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on 100% of the county. 3 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 Dare 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 Dare County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Smithfield NC (145 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Blackstone VA (161 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Chadbourn NC (194 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.