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Echols County, GA

Cattle prices near Echols County, Georgia. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Madison FL in Madison, FL, about 35 miles away. On Nov 10, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $393.46 per hundredweight on 3 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Echols County rain, outlook and forecast

As of the Nov 10 Drought Monitor, most of Echols County, GA showed no drought. Over 90 days rain is at 132% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 44% (well below normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain) and no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 15% rain chance. Echols County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 5 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Madison FL, 35 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 44% of normal
  • Last 60 days 161% of normal
  • Last 90 days 132% 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 wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 64°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 5–6 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Cloudy, high 64°, low 46°, 11% rain, wind 5–8 mph
  3. Tuesday Partly Sunny, high 70°, low 48°, 4% rain, wind 9 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 74°, low 54°, 15% rain, wind 8–12 mph
  5. Thursday Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 77°, low 54°, 15% rain, wind 8–12 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 76°, low 53°, 4% rain, wind 7–9 mph
  7. Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 77°, low 52°, 15% rain, wind 2–8 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 Echols 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.

Echols County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Echols County grew about 1,161 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 136% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 853 pounds per acre. That was the 7th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1992 at 1,326 pounds per acre; worst: 2014 at 427.

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 Echols 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

Echols 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)

Drought pasture pay (LFP)

On FSA's 2026 list for 7 pasture types. Up to 5 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 Crabgrass2026-05-01 to 2026-10-302026-05-015
Full Season Improve Mixed2026-03-01 to 2026-11-302026-03-015
Full Season Improved2026-03-15 to 2026-11-152026-03-155
Native Pasture2026-03-15 to 2026-11-302026-03-155
Annual Ryegrass2026-02-01 to 2026-05-312026-02-034
Forage Sorghum2026-06-01 to 2026-08-312026-06-013
Long Season Small Grains2025-12-15 to 2026-03-312025-12-153

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

USDA disaster declarations

  • Apr 10, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Echols) · crop year 2026
  • Apr 10, 2026 · Drought
    Echols declared · crop year 2026
  • Dec 29, 2025 · Drought
    Echols declared · 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.

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Not on the list Echols 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.

Screwworm (Texas Animal Health Commission)

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

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Townsend Livestock Auction Madison, FL 35 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  2. Columbia Livestock Auction Lake City, FL 39 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  3. Thomasville Stockyard Thomasville, GA 65 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  4. South Central Livestock Fitzgerald, GA 72 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Oct 12, 2026
  5. Turner County Stockyard Ashburn, GA 82 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 · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for Georgia): Alabama, Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Echols County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Echols 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.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Echols County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Echols County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Madison FL (35 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Lake City FL (39 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Thomasville GA (65 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Blueberries 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; 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.