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Des Moines County, IA

Cattle prices near Des Moines County, Iowa. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Sigourney IA in Sigourney, IA, about 60 miles away. On Nov 2, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $421.17 per hundredweight on 243 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

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Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Not listedFSA 2026 list Burn ban Checkcall the county Sigourney IA 5-wt steers $421per cwt

Des Moines County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Des Moines County, IA showed no drought. Rain has run 110% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal); the best rain chance this week is 63% on Saturday (high 65°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain). FSA has not added Des Moines County to its 2026 LFP list, and Sigourney IA is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 60 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 110% of normal
  • Last 60 days 134% of normal
  • Last 90 days not read yet

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 wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans toward near-normal rain

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 51°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 0 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 54°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 57°, low 39°, 0% rain, wind 5–10 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 60°, low 48°, 17% rain, wind 10–15 mph
  5. Thursday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 62°, low 45°, 16% rain, wind 0–10 mph
  6. Friday Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 64°, low 52°, 34% rain, wind 0–15 mph
  7. Saturday Rain Showers Likely, high 65°, low 42°, 63% rain, wind 10–15 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 Des Moines 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.

Des Moines County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Des Moines County grew about 2,474 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 133% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,867 pounds per acre. That was the 1st best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2025 at 2,474 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,092.

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 Des Moines 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

A county next to Des Moines County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Henry County, IA, Lee County, IA). The IRS counts your county plus every county touching it.

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
Sigourney IA 60 miNov 2$421
Bloomfield IA 65 miNov 4$421
Palmyra MO 79 miNov 10$381
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

Sigourney IA 60 mi

Sigourney, IA
Sale of Nov 2, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb117426.99$1,920
Heifers 500-599 lb133370.76$2,040
Heifers 600-699 lb10360.22$2,340
Heifers 700-799 lb40339.00$2,540
Steers 400-499 lb72487.65$2,190
Steers 500-599 lb243421.17$2,320
Steers 600-699 lb51368.73$2,400
Steers 700-799 lb34339.00$2,540

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Bloomfield IA 65 mi

Bloomfield, IA
Sale of Nov 4, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb127453.42$2,040
Heifers 500-599 lb202394.83$2,170
Heifers 600-699 lb89346.65$2,250
Heifers 700-799 lb16309.16$2,320
Steers 400-499 lb83492.50$2,220
Steers 500-599 lb222420.76$2,310
Steers 600-699 lb164369.91$2,400
Steers 700-799 lb53338.27$2,540

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Palmyra MO 79 mi

Palmyra, MO
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb31405.37$1,820
Heifers 500-599 lb42358.12$1,970
Heifers 600-699 lb12321.25$2,090
Heifers 700-799 lb12289.25$2,170
Steers 400-499 lb36420.20$1,890
Steers 500-599 lb31381.21$2,100
Steers 600-699 lb108358.78$2,330
Steers 700-799 lb21331.80$2,490

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

12 more within 200 mi: Unionville MO (100 mi), Tama IA (102 mi), Green City MO (103 mi), Russell IA (105 mi), Macon MO (106 mi), Bowling Green MO (109 mi), New Cambria MO (114 mi), Kingdom City MO (142 mi), Lamoni IA (145 mi), Tina MO (152 mi), Vienna MO (193 mi), Cuba MO (197 mi).

Text me Des Moines County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Keoco Auction Company LLC (feeder cattle) Sigourney, IA 60 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 2026
  2. Bloomfield Livestock Market (feeder cattle) Bloomfield, IA 65 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 4, 2026
  3. F&T Livestock Market Palmyra, MO 79 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  4. Unionville Livestock Market Unionville, MO 100 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Oct 27, 2026
  5. Tama Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Tama, IA 102 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Sep 14, 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 Iowa

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Des Moines County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Nov 5, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Des Moines County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Des Moines 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 Des Moines County?

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

What sale barns are near Des Moines County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Sigourney IA (60 mi), last report Nov 2, 2026; Bloomfield IA (65 mi), last report Nov 4, 2026; Palmyra MO (79 mi), last report Nov 10, 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.