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Phelps County, NE

Cattle prices near Phelps County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Kearney in Kearney, NE, about 21 miles away. On Nov 11, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $435.82 per hundredweight on 390 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Phelps 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 No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Kearney 5-wt steers $436▲ $24 since last sale

Phelps County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Phelps County, NE with no drought; four weeks earlier 29% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 172% of normal over the last 30 days (well above normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain) and Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 57% (high 65°). Phelps County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Kearney is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 21 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 172% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days not read yet

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 (60% 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 49°, low 36°, 1% rain, wind 10–15 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 52°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 10–20 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 55°, low 45°, 0% rain, wind 20–30 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 36°, 14% rain, wind 0–25 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 56°, low 46°, 12% rain, wind 0–15 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 65°, low 41°, 57% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 50°, low 30°, 11% rain, wind 5–20 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 Phelps 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.

Phelps County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Phelps County grew about 2,271 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 113% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,001 pounds per acre. That was the 6th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2021 at 2,624 pounds per acre; worst: 2002 at 1,391.

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 Phelps 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

Phelps 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
Kearney 21 miNov 11$436
Lexington 25 miNov 13$443
North Platte 82 miNov 3$446
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

Kearney 21 mi

Kearney, NE
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb162416.50$1,870
Heifers 500-599 lb426389.69$2,140
Heifers 600-699 lb122337.78$2,200
Heifers 700-799 lb42323.07$2,420
Steers 400-499 lb212492.77$2,220
Steers 500-599 lb390435.82$2,400
Steers 600-699 lb311394.95$2,570
Steers 700-799 lb175361.38$2,710

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Lexington 25 mi

Lexington, NE
Sale of Nov 13, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb67434.21$1,950
Heifers 500-599 lb265390.81$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb92342.11$2,220
Steers 400-499 lb87496.53$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb265443.29$2,440
Steers 600-699 lb285407.81$2,650
Steers 700-799 lb41361.83$2,710

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

North Platte 82 mi

North Platte, NE
Sale of Nov 3, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb145414.17$1,860
Heifers 500-599 lb102391.73$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb8325.00$2,110
Steers 400-499 lb212484.67$2,180
Steers 500-599 lb457445.93$2,450
Steers 600-699 lb350384.95$2,500
Steers 700-799 lb13355.50$2,670

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

10 more within 200 mi: Burwell (88 mi), Ericson (95 mi), Imperial (117 mi), Ogallala (128 mi), Bassett (143 mi), Salina (151 mi), West Point (168 mi), Valentine (173 mi), Dodge City (194 mi), Sterling (199 mi).

Text me Phelps County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 21 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  2. Lexington Livestock Market Lexington, NE 25 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  3. North Platte Stockyards North Platte, NE 82 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 3, 2026
  4. Burwell Livestock Market Burwell, NE 88 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  5. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 95 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 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 Nebraska

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Phelps County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Phelps 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 Phelps County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Phelps County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Kearney (21 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Lexington (25 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; North Platte (82 mi), last report Nov 3, 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.