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Nicholas County, KY

Cattle prices near Nicholas County, Kentucky. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Paris KY in Paris, KY, about 16 miles away. On Nov 9, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $396.51 per hundredweight on 50 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) Not listedFSA 2026 list Burn ban Checkcall the county Paris KY 5-wt steers $397per cwt

Nicholas County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Nicholas County, KY with no drought; 0% of the county is abnormally dry (D0) or worse, down from 41% four weeks earlier. Over 90 days rain is at 58% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 70% (below normal); no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 7% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA has not added Nicholas County to its 2026 LFP list, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Paris KY, 16 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 70% of normal
  • Last 60 days 58% of normal
  • Last 90 days 58% 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 (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Partly Sunny, high 48°, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 2–7 mph
  2. Monday Patchy Fog then Sunny, high 53°, low 26°, 0% rain, wind 1–3 mph
  3. Tuesday Patchy Fog then Sunny, high 57°, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 2 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 61°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 63°, low 39°, 0% rain, wind 3–7 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 39°, 0% rain, wind 2–3 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 67°, low 44°, 7% rain, wind 2–7 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 Nicholas 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.

Nicholas County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Nicholas County grew about 3,348 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 108% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 3,096 pounds per acre. That was the 10th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2012 at 3,683 pounds per acre; worst: 1988 at 1,990.

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 Nicholas 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

Nicholas 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
Paris KY 16 miNov 9$397
Flemingsburg KY 17 miNov 10$377
Mt. Sterling KY 19 miNov 11$372
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

Paris KY 16 mi

Paris, KY
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb42370.60$1,670
Heifers 500-599 lb46333.38$1,830
Heifers 600-699 lb31306.30$1,990
Steers 400-499 lb17458.44$2,060
Steers 500-599 lb50396.51$2,180
Steers 600-699 lb32354.22$2,300
Steers 700-799 lb10321.57$2,410

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Flemingsburg KY 17 mi

Flemingsburg, KY
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb28364.02$1,640
Heifers 500-599 lb27335.05$1,840
Heifers 600-699 lb9289.10$1,880
Heifers 700-799 lb1287.50$2,160
Steers 400-499 lb10387.20$1,740
Steers 500-599 lb23376.70$2,070
Steers 600-699 lb15349.47$2,270
Steers 700-799 lb12330.65$2,480

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Mt. Sterling KY 19 mi

Mt. Sterling, KY
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb14366.31$1,650
Heifers 500-599 lb33325.69$1,790
Heifers 600-699 lb13295.18$1,920
Heifers 700-799 lb2282.50$2,120
Steers 400-499 lb4451.25$2,030
Steers 500-599 lb11372.47$2,050
Steers 600-699 lb10334.64$2,180
Steers 700-799 lb4311.99$2,340

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

23 more within 200 mi: Lexington KY (33 mi), Richmond KY (45 mi), Owenton KY (46 mi), Stanford KY (66 mi), Springfield KY (79 mi), Somerset KY (92 mi), Campbellsville KY (100 mi), Russell Springs KY (106 mi), Upton KY (119 mi), Albany KY (129 mi), Ripley WV (130 mi), Harned KY (136 mi), Glasgow KY (139 mi), Bowling Green KY (United) (162 mi), Bowling Green KY (Cattleman) (162 mi), Greeneville TN (164 mi), Knoxville TN (164 mi), Lafayette TN (167 mi), Owensboro KY (173 mi), Crossville TN (174 mi), Carthage TN (178 mi), Sweetwater TN (191 mi), Weston WV (198 mi).

Text me Nicholas County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Paris Stockyards Paris, KY 16 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Farmers Stockyards Flemingsburg, KY 17 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  3. Blue Grass Stockyards Mt. Sterling, KY 19 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Blue Grass Stockyards Lexington, KY 33 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  5. Blue Grass Stockyards Richmond, KY 45 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 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 Kentucky

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Nicholas County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Nov 5, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Nicholas County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Nicholas County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Paris KY (16 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Flemingsburg KY (17 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Mt. Sterling KY (19 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.