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Lee County, SC

Cattle prices near Lee County, South Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Darlington SC in Darlington, SC, about 24 miles away. The latest report is dated Nov 10 (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Lee 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 ModerateD1 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Orangeburg SC 5-wt steers $365▲ $25 since last sale

Lee County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Lee County, SC was in moderate drought (D1) on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, with 11% at extreme drought (D3); week 31 in a row with some severe drought (D2) or worse. Lee County has had 15% of its normal rain in the past 30 days and 52% 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 2% rain chance. Lee County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Darlington SC is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 24 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 15% of normal
  • Last 60 days 52% of normal
  • Last 90 days 52% 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 Widespread Frost then Sunny, high 59°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 1–6 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 61°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 2–7 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 65°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 3–7 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 68°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 3–6 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 72°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 2–3 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 74°, low 42°, 0% rain, wind 3–5 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 73°, 2% rain, wind 6 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 Lee 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.

Lee County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Lee County grew about 1,286 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 110% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,165 pounds per acre. That was the 11th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1991 at 2,132 pounds per acre; worst: 2014 at 604.

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 1 open

What happenedStartedTell FSA early byFSA deadline
Extreme drought (D3) reached (U.S. Drought Monitor) Nov 10, 2026Dec 10, 2026 (25 days left)Mar 1, 2027

If this cost you livestock, extra feed or hauled water, call your county FSA office now, while it's fresh. The 30-day date is a suggestion from Cownty; FSA's deadline for the notice of loss and application is the March 1 date. Log it in your Drought Ledger · Find your FSA office and phone

Text YES CLOCK for a reminder on day 21 and day 28.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

Lee 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
Darlington SC 24 miNov 10–
Orangeburg SC 58 miNov 11$365
Norwood NC 75 miNov 11$360
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

Darlington SC 24 mi

Darlington, SC
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb3373.31$1,680
Heifers 500-599 lb1330.00$1,820
Heifers 600-699 lb1300.00$1,950
Heifers 700-799 lb2272.53$2,040
Steers 400-499 lb3413.33$1,860

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Orangeburg SC 58 mi

Orangeburg, SC
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 500-599 lb15322.74$1,780
Heifers 700-799 lb1260.00$1,950
Steers 500-599 lb5365.00$2,010
Steers 600-699 lb22339.91$2,210
Steers 700-799 lb28323.89$2,430

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Norwood NC 75 mi

Norwood, NC
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb56347.79$1,570
Heifers 500-599 lb41313.63$1,720
Heifers 600-699 lb8284.89$1,850
Heifers 700-799 lb3251.57$1,890
Steers 400-499 lb15367.46$1,650
Steers 500-599 lb24360.00$1,980
Steers 600-699 lb8324.98$2,110
Steers 700-799 lb4315.00$2,360

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

17 more within 200 mi: Chadbourn NC (82 mi), Saluda SC (Stockyards) (88 mi), Saluda SC (Exchange) (88 mi), Laurens SC (104 mi), Shelby NC (107 mi), Siler City NC (117 mi), Turnersburg NC (125 mi), Williamston SC (131 mi), Smithfield NC (143 mi), Washington GA (146 mi), North Wilkesboro NC (148 mi), Carnesville GA (171 mi), Oak Park GA (172 mi), Eastanollee GA (173 mi), Greensboro GA (173 mi), Canton NC (174 mi), Athens GA (179 mi).

Text me Lee County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Low Country Livestock Exchange Darlington, SC 24 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  2. Orangeburg Stockyards Orangeburg, SC 58 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Stanly County Livestock Market Norwood, NC 75 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Southeastern Auction Co. Inc. Chadbourn, NC 82 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  5. Saluda Stockyards Saluda, SC 88 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 South Carolina): Alabama, Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Lee County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Lee 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 Lee County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Lee County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was extreme drought (D3) on 11% of the county. 31 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 Lee County?

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

What sale barns are near Lee County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Darlington SC (24 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Orangeburg SC (58 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Norwood NC (75 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.