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Lexington County, SC

Cattle prices near Lexington County, South Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Saluda SC (Stockyards) in Saluda, SC, about 30 miles away. The latest report is dated Nov 9 (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Lexington County is on FSA's list (since Oct 6, 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 Saluda SC (Exchange) 5-wt steers $356per cwt

Lexington County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Lexington County, SC was in moderate drought (D1) on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, with 45% at severe drought (D2); week 6 in a row with some severe drought (D2) or worse. Over 90 days rain is at 55% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 34% (well below normal); no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 2% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Lexington County with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Saluda SC (Stockyards), 30 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 34% of normal
  • Last 60 days 62% of normal
  • Last 90 days 55% 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 58°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 0–6 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 60°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 3–7 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 64°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 2–9 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 68°, low 37°, 0% rain, wind 1–8 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 71°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 0–6 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 73°, low 42°, 1% rain, wind 1–7 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 72°, 2% rain, wind 3–8 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 Lexington 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.

Lexington County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Lexington County grew about 1,674 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 106% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,583 pounds per acre. That was the 13th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1999 at 2,100 pounds per acre; worst: 2014 at 1,046.

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 Lexington 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

Lexington 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, past 12 months

45% of the county in severe drought or worse, 6 weeks running.

How to read this

Each band is how much of the county was in that drought level that week. Darker = worse. D2 (severe) and darker can trigger USDA drought pay.

Right now: 45% of the county is in severe drought or worse; some of it has been for 6 weeks running. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026.

Guide: What D0–D4 mean

See the drought map

Text me Lexington County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Saluda Stockyards Saluda, SC 30 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Saluda Livestock Exchange Saluda, SC 30 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  3. Orangeburg Stockyards Orangeburg, SC 36 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Laurens Livestock Exchange Laurens, SC 60 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Wilkes County Stockyard Washington, GA 85 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 · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for South Carolina): Alabama, Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Lexington County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Lexington 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 Lexington County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Lexington County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on 45% of the county. 6 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 Lexington 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 Lexington County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Saluda SC (Stockyards) (30 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Saluda SC (Exchange) (30 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Orangeburg SC (36 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: Peaches 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.