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Graham County, NC

Cattle prices near Graham County, North Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Sweetwater TN in Sweetwater, TN, about 40 miles away. On Nov 13, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $396.58 per hundredweight on 63 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Graham County is on FSA's list (since Sep 1, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Sweetwater TN 5-wt steers $397▲ $11 since last sale

Graham County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Graham County, NC was abnormally dry (D0), with 38% at moderate drought (D1); four weeks earlier 1% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 38%. Graham County has had 43% of its normal rain in the past 30 days and 71% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain and no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 1% rain chance. Graham County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Sweetwater TN is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 40 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 43% of normal
  • Last 60 days 72% of normal
  • Last 90 days 71% 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 toward near-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 Clear, low 25°, 0% rain, wind 2 mph
  2. Sunday Sunny, high 55°, low 27°, 0% rain, wind 2–3 mph
  3. Monday Sunny, high 60°, low 26°, 0% rain, wind 0–2 mph
  4. Tuesday Sunny, high 64°, low 27°, 0% rain, wind 1 mph
  5. Wednesday Sunny, high 68°, low 29°, 0% rain, wind 1 mph
  6. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 69°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 0–1 mph
  7. Friday Sunny, high 71°, low 35°, 1% rain, wind 1 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 14, 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 Graham 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.

Graham County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Graham County grew about 2,531 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 111% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,287 pounds per acre. That was the 3rd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1998 at 2,713 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 959.

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 Graham 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

Graham 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 3 pasture types. Up to 4 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
Forage Sorghum2026-05-15 to 2026-10-012026-05-154
Full Season Improved2026-04-01 to 2026-11-152026-04-014
Native Pasture2026-04-01 to 2026-11-152026-04-014

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

Guide: How LFP works and who qualifies

Guide: ELAP and LIP basics

USDA disaster declarations

  • Apr 15, 2026 · Drought
    Graham declared · crop year 2026
  • Apr 10, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Graham) · crop year 2026
  • Apr 10, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Graham) · crop year 2026
  • Mar 25, 2025 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Graham) · 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.

Guide: What a disaster designation means

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Open Graham County is on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list, starting Sep 1, 2026. Trigger: D2 (severe) drought on the Drought Monitor. Get an updated conservation plan from FSA before cutting or turning out.

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.

Guide: CRP emergency haying and grazing rules

Screwworm (Texas Animal Health Commission)

Data pending. animal-health alerts are read for Texas (TAHC) and Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico (state ag departments); North Carolina's state veterinarian isn't read yet

Guide: Screwworm: what to know

New FSA programs: watch list
DateScopeReleaseFlag
Nov 4, 2026MississippiUSDA Designates one Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 4, 2026Hawaii and Pacific IslandsUSDA Extends Application Deadline for Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Guam and CNMI Counties for Typhoon Bavi Impacts
Nov 4, 2026NebraskaUSDA Authorizes Deadline Extension for Emergency Conservation Program in Several Wildfire-Impacted Counties
Nov 4, 2026FloridaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 3, 2026AlabamaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Text me Graham County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. East Tennessee Livestock Center, Inc. Sweetwater, TN 40 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  2. Athens Livestock Market Athens, TN 44 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  3. Knoxville Livestock Auction Center Inc. Knoxville, TN 44 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  4. WNC Regional Livestock Center Canton, NC 58 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  5. Eastanollee Livestock Eastanollee, GA 66 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

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for North Carolina): Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Graham County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Graham County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 4 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 Graham County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Graham County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 38% 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 Graham 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 Graham County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Sweetwater TN (40 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; Athens TN (44 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Knoxville TN (44 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.