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Lincoln County, NC

Cattle prices near Lincoln County, North Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Shelby NC in Shelby, NC, about 23 miles away. On Nov 10, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $356.71 per hundredweight on 9 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Shelby NC 5-wt steers $357per cwt

Lincoln County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Lincoln County, NC showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, though 31% at abnormally dry (D0); four weeks earlier 23% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 27% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal) and 88% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 1% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. Lincoln County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Shelby NC, 23 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 27% of normal
  • Last 60 days 108% of normal
  • Last 90 days 88% 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 Clear, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 1–5 mph
  2. Sunday Sunny, high 56°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 1–5 mph
  3. Monday Sunny, high 58°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  4. Tuesday Sunny, high 61°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 1–2 mph
  5. Wednesday Sunny, high 65°, low 31°, 0% rain, wind 1 mph
  6. Thursday Sunny, high 68°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 1 mph
  7. Friday Sunny, high 70°, low 37°, 1% rain, wind 1–2 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 14, 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 Lincoln 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.

Lincoln County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Lincoln County grew about 2,836 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 107% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,643 pounds per acre. That was the 8th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1999 at 3,301 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,052.

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 Lincoln 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

Lincoln 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

0% of the county in severe drought or worse.

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: 0% of the county is in severe drought or worse; some of it has been for 0 weeks running. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026.

Guide: What D0–D4 mean

See the drought map

Text me Lincoln County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Shelby, NC 23 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  2. Harward Brothers Livestock Market Turnersburg, NC 37 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  3. Wilkes Livestock Exchange North Wilkesboro, NC 48 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Stanly County Livestock Market Norwood, NC 65 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Laurens Livestock Exchange Laurens, SC 82 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

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for North Carolina): Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Lincoln County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Lincoln 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 Lincoln County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Lincoln County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 31% 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 Lincoln County?

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

What sale barns are near Lincoln County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Shelby NC (23 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Turnersburg NC (37 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; North Wilkesboro NC (48 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Apples 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; 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.