Deaf Smith County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Deaf Smith County, TX showed no drought on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map, though 32% at abnormally dry (D0); four weeks earlier 100% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 100% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal) and 145% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; the NWS forecast peaks at a 71% rain chance on today (high 69°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain. Deaf Smith County (county seat: Hereford) is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 5 monthly payments, and Wildorado is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 33 miles.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 100% of normal
- Last 60 days 244% of normal
- Last 90 days 145% of normal
NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Rain outlook
- 6-10 day outlook (Nov 7–11) Leans toward near-normal rain
- 8-14 day outlook (Nov 9–15) Leans toward near-normal rain
NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Next 7 days
- Today Mostly Cloudy, high 69°, low 57°, 71% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Monday Sunny, high 67°, low 45°, 6% rain, wind 10–30 mph
- Tuesday Sunny, high 63°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 5–20 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 67°, low 43°, 4% rain, wind 5–15 mph
- Thursday Sunny, high 61°, low 38°, 1% rain, wind 5–15 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 62°, low 41°, 11% rain, wind 5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 63°, low 41°, 17% rain, wind 5–10 mph
National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 1, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.
Open loss windows
No open loss windows in Deaf Smith 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
Deaf Smith 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)
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FSA grain loan rates (2026)
What FSA will lend on stored grain, per bushel. Lets you hold grain instead of selling at harvest.
| Crop | Deaf Smith County | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Corn | $2.77 /bu | $2.42 /bu |
| Grain sorghum | $4.68 /cwt ($2.62 /bu) |
$2.42 /bu |
| Soybeans | $6.46 /bu | $6.82 /bu |
| Hard red winter wheat | $3.67 /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 1, 2026.
FSA farm loan interest rates
| FSA direct loan | Rate |
|---|---|
| Farm Operating - Direct | 5.375% |
| Farm Operating - Microloan | 5.375% |
| Farm Ownership - Direct | 6.250% |
| Farm Ownership - Microloan | 6.250% |
| Farm Ownership - Direct, Joint Financing | 4.250% |
| Farm Ownership - Down Payment | 2.250% |
| Emergency Loan - Amount of Actual Loss | 3.750% |
Set nationally by FSA; the same in every county. Effective Oct 1, 2026. Source: FSA current loan interest rates. Fetched Nov 1, 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
| Crop | Guarantee | Most it can pay |
|---|---|---|
| Barley | $287.44 | $38.33 |
| Corn | $896.98 | $119.60 |
| Grain Sorghum irrigated | $335.04 | $44.67 |
| Grain Sorghum nonirrigated | $100.50 | $13.40 |
| Oats | $170.21 | $22.69 |
| Safflower | $91.59 | $12.21 |
| Seed Cotton irrigated | $653.64 | $87.15 |
| Seed Cotton nonirrigated | $160.94 | $21.46 |
| Soybeans | $325.63 | $43.42 |
| Sunflower Seed | $445.88 | $59.45 |
| Wheat irrigated | $356.07 | $47.48 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | $68.85 | $9.18 |
Show the math
| Crop | Benchmark yield × price | Benchmark revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Barley | 49.67 bushel/ac × $6.43 | $319.38 |
| Corn | 198.14 bushel/ac × $5.03 | $996.64 |
| Grain Sorghum irrigated | 70.24 bushel/ac × $5.30 | $372.27 |
| Grain Sorghum nonirrigated | 21.07 bushel/ac × $5.30 | $111.67 |
| Oats | 48.0 bushel/ac × $3.94 | $189.12 |
| Safflower | 367.0 pound/ac × $0.28 | $101.77 |
| Seed Cotton irrigated | 1684.7 pound/ac × $0.43 | $726.27 |
| Seed Cotton nonirrigated | 414.79 pound/ac × $0.43 | $178.82 |
| Soybeans | 29.73 bushel/ac × $12.17 | $361.81 |
| Sunflower Seed | 1972.23 pound/ac × $0.25 | $495.42 |
| Wheat irrigated | 56.68 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $395.63 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | 10.96 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $76.50 |
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 Sep 30, 2026
| Crop | Guarantee | Actual revenue | ARC payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barley | $274.50 | $16.38 | $36.60 |
| Corn | $880.14 | $933.75 | $0.00 |
| Grain Sorghum irrigated | $335.71 | $325.82 | $9.89 |
| Grain Sorghum nonirrigated | $109.81 | $185.22 | $0.00 |
| Oats | $157.83 | $203.49 | $0.00 |
| Safflower | $122.52 | $90.17 | $16.34 |
| Seed Cotton irrigated | $631.94 | $495.84 | $84.26 |
| Seed Cotton nonirrigated | $167.49 | $467.19 | $0.00 |
| Soybeans | $325.63 | $294.00 | $31.63 |
| Sunflower Seed | $445.53 | $272.25 | $59.40 |
| Wheat irrigated | $354.49 | $347.17 | $7.32 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | $100.32 | $154.53 | $0.00 |
Show the math
| Crop | Benchmark yield × price | Benchmark revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Barley | 50.0 bushel/ac × $6.10 | $305.00 |
| Corn | 194.42 bushel/ac × $5.03 | $977.93 |
| Grain Sorghum irrigated | 70.38 bushel/ac × $5.30 | $373.01 |
| Grain Sorghum nonirrigated | 23.02 bushel/ac × $5.30 | $122.01 |
| Oats | 45.67 bushel/ac × $3.84 | $175.37 |
| Safflower | 494.67 pound/ac × $0.28 | $136.13 |
| Seed Cotton irrigated | 1628.74 pound/ac × $0.43 | $702.15 |
| Seed Cotton nonirrigated | 431.69 pound/ac × $0.43 | $186.10 |
| Soybeans | 29.73 bushel/ac × $12.17 | $361.81 |
| Sunflower Seed | 1972.23 pound/ac × $0.25 | $495.03 |
| Wheat irrigated | 56.43 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $393.88 |
| Wheat nonirrigated | 15.97 bushel/ac × $6.98 | $111.47 |
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 9, 2026
| Crop | Reference price | Season avg price | PLC 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 Deaf Smith County
$26,930,068
3,300 payments dated Jan 2, 2025 to Dec 29, 2025 (FSA payment file 2025).
| Program | Year | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Commodity Assistance Program | 2024 | $11,795,259 |
| Supplemental disaster relief (crops) | 2023 | $4,416,665 |
| Supplemental disaster relief (crops) | 2024 | $2,848,823 |
| ARC county payments | 2024 | $2,285,568 |
| CRP annual rent | 2023 | $1,398,358 |
| CRP annual rent | 2021 | $1,090,477 |
| CRP annual rent | 2022 | $770,853 |
| CRP annual rent | 2024 | $512,840 |
Plus 23 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 (Deaf Smith), which may differ from where the land is. Source: FSA payment file via the FOIA reading room.
Crop conditions (statewide)
Texas crop and pasture condition
Texas statewide, not just your county. Wheat planting is on pace with normal (70% vs 70%). From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Oct 25, 2026.
| Condition | Poor or very poor | Fair | Good or excellent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasture and Range | 45% | 35% | 20% +2 vs last week |
| Corn | 35% | 30% | 35% +0 vs last week |
| Cotton | 52% | 30% | 18% +0 vs last week |
| Peanut | 23% | 38% | 39% -1 vs last week |
Progress
| Texas | This week | Last week | Normal (5-yr avg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Wheat Planted | 70% | 64% | 70% |
| Winter Wheat Emerged | 55% | 46% | 46% |
| Sorghum Harvested | 95% | 90% | 97% |
| Cotton Harvested | 55% | 46% | 43% |
| Corn Harvested | 95% | 92% | 95% |
Wheat pasture condition
Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress released Oct 26, 2026 (ESMIS), Texas rows. Week ending Oct 25, 2026. Fetched Oct 26, 2026.
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Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Texas · County seat: Hereford
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Deaf Smith County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Deaf Smith 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.
What is the drought level in Deaf Smith County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Deaf Smith County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 32% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Deaf Smith County?
No burn ban is listed for Deaf Smith County. Check with the county before burning.
What sale barns are near Deaf Smith County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Wildorado (33 mi), last report Oct 27, 2026; Clovis (51 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026; Tulia (55 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026.
Source: USDA AMS Market News reports
What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?
Next: Nov 13, 2026: Apply for NRCS conservation cost-share (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) to be considered for 2027 money; 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.