Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Montana › Judith Basin County

Judith Basin County, MT

No sale barn with a published report is within 100 miles of Judith Basin County, Montana. This page still has drought, programs and weather for the county when those are loaded.

Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Judith Basin 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 No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 2 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Billings MT (BLC) 5-wt steers $408per cwt

Judith Basin County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Judith Basin County, MT showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map; four weeks earlier 16% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 126% of normal over the last 30 days (above normal); Tuesday carries the week's highest rain chance at 92% (high 40°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Judith Basin County with up to 2 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Billings MT (BLC), 120 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 126% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • 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 toward near-normal rain
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 38°, 1% rain, wind 7–15 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Cloudy, high 54°, low 35°, 35% rain, wind 2–7 mph
  3. Tuesday Rain And Snow, high 40°, low 28°, 92% rain, wind 0–7 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 36°, low 24°, 11% rain, wind 2–8 mph
  5. Thursday Chance Light Snow, high 39°, low 26°, 37% rain, wind 2–5 mph
  6. Friday Chance Light Snow, high 36°, low 23°, 37% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  7. Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 37°, low 24°, 11% rain, wind 3–5 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 Judith Basin 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.

Judith Basin County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Judith Basin County grew about 1,436 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 125% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,147 pounds per acre. That was the 2nd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2023 at 1,603 pounds per acre; worst: 1988 at 870.

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 Judith Basin 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

Judith Basin 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)

FSA grain loan rates (2026)

What FSA will lend on stored grain, per bushel. Lets you hold grain instead of selling at harvest.

CropJudith Basin CountyNational average
Corn$2.64 /bu $2.42 /bu
Grain sorghum$4.07 /cwt
($2.28 /bu)
 $2.42 /bu
Soybeans$6.44 /bu $6.82 /bu
Hard red winter wheat$3.50 /bu $3.72 /bu
Hard red spring wheat$3.94 /bu $3.72 /bu
Soft white wheat$3.80 /bu $3.72 /bu
Durum wheat$5.74 /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 9, 2026.

FSA farm loan interest rates

FSA direct loanRate
Farm Operating - Direct5.625%
Farm Operating - Microloan5.625%
Farm Ownership - Direct6.250%
Farm Ownership - Microloan6.250%
Farm Ownership - Direct, Joint Financing4.250%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment2.250%
Emergency Loan - Amount of Actual Loss3.750%

Set nationally by FSA; the same in every county. Effective Nov 1, 2026. Source: FSA current loan interest rates. Fetched Nov 9, 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.

Data pending. last fetch failed: HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/arc-plc/program-data

PLC, 2026 FSA table of Oct 30, 2026

CropReference priceSeason avg pricePLC 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 Judith Basin County

Data pending. last fetch failed: HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/tools/informational/freedom-information-act-foia/electronic-reading-room/frequently-requested/payment-files

Guide: ARC and PLC basics

Crop conditions (statewide)

Montana crop and pasture condition

Montana statewide, not just your county. Wheat planting is on pace with normal (97% vs 97%). From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Nov 8, 2026.

ConditionPoor or
very poor		FairGood or
excellent
Winter Wheat1%36% 63%

Progress

MontanaThis weekLast weekNormal (5-yr avg)
Winter Wheat Planted97%95%97%
Winter Wheat Emerged84%75%83%

Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress released Nov 9, 2026 (ESMIS), Montana rows. Week ending Nov 8, 2026. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Text me Judith Basin County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Billings Livestock Commission Billings, MT 120 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Public Auction Yards Billings, MT 120 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Miles City Livestock Commission Miles City, MT 216 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 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 Montana

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Judith Basin County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Judith Basin County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 2 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 Judith Basin County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Judith Basin County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Billings MT (BLC) (120 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Billings MT (PAYS) (120 mi), last report Nov 11, 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.