Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Nebraska › Howard County

Howard County, NE

Cattle prices near Howard County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ericson in Ericson, NE, about 40 miles away. On Nov 14, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $451.18 per hundredweight on 526 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 3 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Ericson 5-wt steers $451▲ $15 since last sale

Howard County rain, outlook and forecast

As of the Nov 10 Drought Monitor, most of Howard County, NE showed no drought. Howard County has had 150% of its normal rain in the past 30 days and 199% 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 wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain) and the NWS forecast peaks at a 69% rain chance on Friday (high 64°). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Howard County with up to 3 monthly payments, and Ericson is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 40 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 150% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 199% 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 (60% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 55°, low 34°, 1% rain, wind 10–15 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 10–20 mph
  3. Tuesday Partly Sunny, high 55°, low 46°, 0% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 66°, low 34°, 10% rain, wind 5–25 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 55°, low 45°, 19% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 64°, low 42°, 69% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  7. Saturday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 51°, low 27°, 18% rain, wind 5–20 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 Howard 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.

Howard County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Howard County grew about 2,397 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 110% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,176 pounds per acre. That was the 7th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2007 at 2,527 pounds per acre; worst: 2002 at 1,639.

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 Howard 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

Howard 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
Ericson 40 miNov 14$451
Kearney 46 miNov 11$436
Burwell 50 miNov 13$444
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

Ericson 40 mi

Ericson, NE
Sale of Nov 14, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb183441.78$1,990
Heifers 500-599 lb543391.52$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb11369.00$2,400
Steers 400-499 lb192498.12$2,240
Steers 500-599 lb526451.18$2,480
Steers 600-699 lb366422.88$2,750
Steers 700-799 lb9372.50$2,790

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Kearney 46 mi

Kearney, NE
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb162416.50$1,870
Heifers 500-599 lb426389.69$2,140
Heifers 600-699 lb122337.78$2,200
Heifers 700-799 lb42323.07$2,420
Steers 400-499 lb212492.77$2,220
Steers 500-599 lb390435.82$2,400
Steers 600-699 lb311394.95$2,570
Steers 700-799 lb175361.38$2,710

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Burwell 50 mi

Burwell, NE
Sale of Nov 13, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb301435.15$1,960
Heifers 500-599 lb585408.43$2,250
Heifers 600-699 lb85362.08$2,350
Steers 400-499 lb225496.15$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb847443.62$2,440
Steers 600-699 lb705403.72$2,620

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

12 more within 200 mi: Lexington (71 mi), West Point (103 mi), Bassett (108 mi), North Platte (117 mi), Valentine (155 mi), Dunlap IA (157 mi), Ogallala (167 mi), Imperial (170 mi), Worthing SD (171 mi), Denison IA (172 mi), Salina (173 mi), Mitchell SD (175 mi).

Text me Howard County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 40 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  2. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 46 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Burwell Livestock Market Burwell, NE 50 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  4. Lexington Livestock Market Lexington, NE 71 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  5. West Point Livestock (feeder cattle) West Point, NE 103 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 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 · Hay prices in Nebraska

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Howard County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Howard County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 3 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 Howard County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Howard County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Ericson (40 mi), last report Nov 14, 2026; Kearney (46 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Burwell (50 mi), last report Nov 13, 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.