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Polk County, IA

Cattle prices near Polk County, Iowa. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Russell IA in Russell, IA, about 52 miles away. On Nov 9, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $423.02 per hundredweight on 427 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 Russell IA 5-wt steers $423per cwt

Polk County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Polk County, IA showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map. Rain has run 105% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal); the best rain chance this week is 80% on Friday (high 62°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain). Polk County is not on FSA's 2026 LFP list yet, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Russell IA, 52 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 105% of normal
  • Last 60 days 171% of normal
  • 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 toward near-normal rain

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 50°, low 27°, 0% rain, wind 0–6 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 54°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 5–12 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 57°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 8–15 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 46°, 18% rain, wind 10–17 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 59°, low 41°, 15% rain, wind 5–9 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 62°, low 51°, 80% rain, wind 6–17 mph
  7. Saturday Rain Showers Likely, high 61°, low 36°, 72% rain, wind 10–16 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 Polk 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.

Polk County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Polk County grew about 1,994 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 132% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,506 pounds per acre. That was the 3rd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,028 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 543.

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 Polk 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

Neither Polk County nor any county touching it is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (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
Russell IA 52 miNov 9$423
Tama IA 55 miSep 14$418
Sigourney IA 75 miNov 2$421
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

Russell IA 52 mi

Russell, IA
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb190409.46$1,840
Heifers 500-599 lb244374.76$2,060
Heifers 600-699 lb134342.35$2,230
Heifers 700-799 lb97320.66$2,400
Steers 400-499 lb169482.19$2,170
Steers 500-599 lb427423.02$2,330
Steers 600-699 lb106369.42$2,400
Steers 700-799 lb57332.18$2,490

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Tama IA 55 mi

Tama, IA
Sale of Sep 14, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb163442.27$1,990
Heifers 500-599 lb137390.88$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb23336.75$2,190
Heifers 700-799 lb12293.17$2,200
Steers 400-499 lb76468.23$2,110
Steers 500-599 lb367418.48$2,300
Steers 600-699 lb117367.12$2,390
Steers 700-799 lb14335.06$2,510

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Sigourney IA 75 mi

Sigourney, IA
Sale of Nov 2, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb117426.99$1,920
Heifers 500-599 lb133370.76$2,040
Heifers 600-699 lb10360.22$2,340
Heifers 700-799 lb40339.00$2,540
Steers 400-499 lb72487.65$2,190
Steers 500-599 lb243421.17$2,320
Steers 600-699 lb51368.73$2,400
Steers 700-799 lb34339.00$2,540

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

12 more within 200 mi: Lamoni IA (76 mi), Bloomfield IA (88 mi), Unionville MO (89 mi), Denison IA (95 mi), Green City MO (103 mi), Dunlap IA (105 mi), New Cambria MO (139 mi), Macon MO (146 mi), Tina MO (148 mi), West Point (162 mi), Palmyra MO (169 mi), Worthing SD (199 mi).

Text me Polk County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Russell Livestock Market (feeder cattle) Russell, IA 52 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Tama Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Tama, IA 55 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Sep 14, 2026
  3. Keoco Auction Company LLC (feeder cattle) Sigourney, IA 75 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 2026
  4. Lamoni Livestock Auction Market (feeder cattle) Lamoni, IA 76 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 5, 2026
  5. Bloomfield Livestock Market (feeder cattle) Bloomfield, IA 88 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 4, 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 Iowa

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Polk 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 Polk County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Polk County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Russell IA (52 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Tama IA (55 mi), last report Sep 14, 2026; Sigourney IA (75 mi), last report Nov 2, 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.