Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Iowa › Polk County

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.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
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)

Drought pasture pay (LFP)

Not on FSA's 2026 list as of the latest file.

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

No USDA disaster declarations in the current or prior crop-year files.

"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. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: What a disaster designation means

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Not on the list Polk County is not on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list as of Nov 5, 2026. Non-emergency haying and grazing may still be allowed outside the primary nesting season.

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); Iowa'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 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.