Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Virginia › Salem city

Salem city, VA

Cattle prices near Salem County, Virginia. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Roanoke VA in Roanoke, VA, about 5 miles away. On Nov 9, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $350.22 per hundredweight on 9 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Not listedFSA 2026 list Burn ban Checkcall the county Roanoke VA 5-wt steers $350per cwt

Salem County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Salem County, VA was abnormally dry (D0); 100% of the county is abnormally dry (D0) or worse, the same as four weeks earlier. Over 90 days rain is at 81% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 17% (well below normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain) and no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 1% rain chance. Salem County is not on FSA's 2026 LFP list yet, and Roanoke VA is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 5 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 17% of normal
  • Last 60 days 101% of normal
  • Last 90 days 81% 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 drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 50°, low 34°, 1% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 54°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 65°, low 33°, 0% rain, wind 0–3 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 69°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 70°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 0–7 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 72°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 0–7 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 70°, low 42°, 1% rain, wind 0–5 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

Salem County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Salem County grew about 3,146 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 134% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,353 pounds per acre. That was the 4th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2023 at 3,288 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,106.

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 Salem 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

Salem 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
Roanoke VA 5 miNov 9$350
Moneta VA 25 miNov 7$340
Dublin VA 37 miSep 23$379
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

Roanoke VA 5 mi

Roanoke, VA
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb4340.50$1,530
Heifers 500-599 lb9326.00$1,790
Heifers 600-699 lb1275.00$1,790
Heifers 700-799 lb10275.20$2,060
Steers 400-499 lb2354.00$1,590
Steers 500-599 lb9350.22$1,930
Steers 600-699 lb4329.00$2,140
Steers 700-799 lb2286.50$2,150

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Moneta VA 25 mi

Moneta, VA
Sale of Nov 7, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb9310.00$1,400
Heifers 500-599 lb13275.00$1,510
Heifers 600-699 lb4255.00$1,660
Steers 400-499 lb5350.00$1,580
Steers 500-599 lb3340.00$1,870
Steers 600-699 lb2285.00$1,850

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Dublin VA 37 mi

Dublin, VA
Sale of Sep 23, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 500-599 lb5332.60$1,830
Heifers 600-699 lb15305.80$1,990
Heifers 700-799 lb25288.50$2,160
Steers 500-599 lb9379.05$2,080
Steers 600-699 lb16350.88$2,280
Steers 700-799 lb16316.06$2,370

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

22 more within 200 mi: Rustburg VA (53 mi), Monterey VA (82 mi), North Wilkesboro NC (98 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Shenandoah) (102 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Rockingham) (102 mi), Turnersburg NC (104 mi), Siler City NC (113 mi), Blackstone VA (114 mi), Buckhannon WV (118 mi), Radiant VA (123 mi), Weston WV (123 mi), Moorefield WV (137 mi), Culpeper VA (139 mi), Ripley WV (139 mi), Norwood NC (142 mi), Terra Alta WV (152 mi), Smithfield NC (154 mi), Shelby NC (161 mi), Marshall VA (163 mi), Winchester VA (166 mi), Greeneville TN (171 mi), Canton NC (196 mi).

Text me Salem County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Roanoke-Hollins Roanoke, VA 5 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Springlake Stockyard Moneta, VA 25 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 7, 2026
  3. Pulaski Livestock Dublin, VA 37 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Sep 23, 2026
  4. Lynchburg Livestock Rustburg, VA 53 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  5. Monterey Stockyard LLC Monterey, VA 82 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Oct 21, 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 · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for Virginia): Kentucky, Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Salem 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 Salem County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Salem County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 100% 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 Salem County?

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

What sale barns are near Salem County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Roanoke VA (5 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Moneta VA (25 mi), last report Nov 7, 2026; Dublin VA (37 mi), last report Sep 23, 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.