Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Nebraska › Phelps County

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.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
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)

Drought pasture pay (LFP)

On FSA's 2026 list for 4 pasture types. Up to 4 monthly payments.

Bring head counts, grazing leases and pasture acres to your county FSA office.

How to read this

Each bar is a pasture type; the number is how many monthly payments it qualifies for (1 to 5).

Pasture table
Pasture typeGrazing periodQualifying datePayments
Full Season Improved2026-05-01 to 2026-10-312026-05-014
Native Pasture2026-05-01 to 2026-10-312026-05-014
Forage Sorghum2026-07-01 to 2026-09-152026-07-282
Long Season Small Grains2026-04-01 to 2026-05-302026-04-012

FSA "Counties & Pasture Types Eligible for 2026 LFP", file dated Nov 5, 2026 (download). FSA decides eligibility. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: How LFP works and who qualifies

Guide: ELAP and LIP basics

USDA disaster declarations

  • Jun 4, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Phelps) · crop year 2026
  • Apr 29, 2026 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Phelps) · crop year 2026
  • Apr 15, 2026 · Drought
    Phelps declared · crop year 2026
  • Jul 24, 2025 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Phelps) · crop year 2025
  • Jul 14, 2025 · Drought
    Phelps declared · crop year 2025
  • Jul 9, 2025 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Phelps) · crop year 2025
  • Jun 2, 2025 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Phelps) · crop year 2025

"Declared" means USDA named this county. "Neighboring" means it touches a declared county. Either way, FSA emergency loans can open for about 8 months. FSA designation files (dated Jan 28, 2026, Oct 19, 2026). Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: What a disaster designation means

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Open Phelps County is on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list, starting Sep 1, 2026. Trigger: D2 (severe) drought on the Drought Monitor. Get an updated conservation plan from FSA before cutting or turning out.

Before haying and grazing, contact your FSA county office to see if your county remains eligible and/or obtain a modified conservation plan. This list is cumulative for the year and current local conditions may have changed.

Source: FSA eligible-county table posted Nov 5, 2026 · map · FSA program page. FSA posts a new file every Thursday. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: CRP emergency haying and grazing rules

Screwworm (Texas Animal Health Commission)

Data pending. animal-health alerts are read for Texas (TAHC) and Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico (state ag departments); Nebraska's state veterinarian isn't read yet

Guide: Screwworm: what to know

New FSA programs: watch list
DateScopeReleaseFlag
Nov 4, 2026MississippiUSDA Designates one Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 4, 2026Hawaii and Pacific IslandsUSDA Extends Application Deadline for Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Guam and CNMI Counties for Typhoon Bavi Impacts
Nov 4, 2026NebraskaUSDA Authorizes Deadline Extension for Emergency Conservation Program in Several Wildfire-Impacted Counties
Nov 4, 2026FloridaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 3, 2026AlabamaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
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.