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Lake County, CO

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

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Lake 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.
Wildfire: a current fire outline is in Lake County (Willow). Details · fire map updated Nov 15, 2026.
Drought ExtremeD3 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 5 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Brush 5-wt steers $435▲ $7 since last sale

Lake County rain, outlook and forecast

As of the Nov 10 Drought Monitor, most of Lake County, CO was in extreme drought (D3), with 10% at exceptional drought (D4), and D2-or-worse drought has held there 70 weeks running. Rain has run 110% of normal over the last 90 days; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain) and Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 77% (high 40°). Lake County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 5 monthly payments, and Brush is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 162 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days not read yet
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 110% 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 (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 44°, low 15°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 52°, low 17°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Sunny then Chance Snow Showers, high 48°, low 19°, 67% rain, wind 0–10 mph
  4. Wednesday Slight Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 39°, low 10°, 21% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 46°, low 16°, 56% rain, wind 5–10 mph
  6. Friday Snow Showers, high 40°, low 12°, 77% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Snow Showers, high 36°, low 7°, 27% rain, wind 0–10 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 Lake 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.

Lake County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Lake County grew about 317 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 109% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 290 pounds per acre. That was the 20th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2007 at 417 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 17.

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 Lake 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

Lake 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.

CropLake CountyNational average
Corn$2.62 /bu $2.42 /bu
Grain sorghum$4.44 /cwt
($2.49 /bu)
 $2.42 /bu
Soybeans$6.42 /bu $6.82 /bu
Hard red winter wheat$3.39 /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.

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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 Lake 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)

Colorado crop and pasture condition

Colorado statewide, not just your county. Wheat planting is on pace with normal (99% vs 98%). From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Nov 8, 2026.

ConditionPoor or
very poor		FairGood or
excellent
Winter Wheat12%44% 44%

Progress

ColoradoThis weekLast weekNormal (5-yr avg)
Winter Wheat Planted99%99%98%
Winter Wheat Emerged90%81%87%
Sorghum Harvested80%65%83%
Corn Harvested77%65%79%

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

Text me Lake County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Livestock Exchange (Friday feeder cattle) Brush, CO 162 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  2. La Junta Livestock Commission La Junta, CO 170 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Winter Livestock (Tuesday) La Junta, CO 174 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  4. Sterling Livestock Commission Sterling, CO 194 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Torrington Livestock Commission Co. (feeder cattle) Torrington, WY 228 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

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 Colorado

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Lake County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Lake 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 Lake County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Lake County was in extreme drought (D3), and the worst part was exceptional drought (D4) on 10% of the county. 70 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 Lake County?

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

What sale barns are near Lake County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Brush (162 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; La Junta LJLC (170 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; La Junta Winter (174 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Colorado EQIP/CSP/RCPP/ACEP application ranking cutoff (FY 2027); 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.