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Steele County, ND

No sale barn with a published report is within 100 miles of Steele County, North Dakota. This page still has drought, programs and weather for the county when those are loaded.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Steele 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 ModerateD1 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Napoleon ND 5-wt steers $431▲ $26 since last sale

Steele County rain, outlook and forecast

As of the Nov 10 Drought Monitor, most of Steele County, ND was in moderate drought (D1); four weeks earlier 100% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 68%. Rain has run 134% of normal over the last 30 days (above normal); Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 55% (high 39°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Steele County with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Napoleon ND, 117 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 134% 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 (50% 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 Sunny, high 52°, low 37°, 1% rain, wind 10–23 mph
  2. Monday Partly Sunny, high 56°, low 37°, 0% rain, wind 9–13 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 53°, low 38°, 2% rain, wind 7–17 mph
  4. Wednesday Partly Sunny, high 51°, low 36°, 42% rain, wind 7–23 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Cloudy, high 41°, low 30°, 9% rain, wind 5–23 mph
  6. Friday Cloudy then Chance Light Rain, high 39°, low 30°, 55% rain, wind 6–24 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain And Snow, high 35°, low 23°, 45% rain, wind 9–28 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 Steele 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.

Steele County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Steele County grew about 1,422 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 105% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,354 pounds per acre. That was the 16th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2005 at 1,646 pounds per acre; worst: 1989 at 780.

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 Steele 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

Steele 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
Napoleon ND 117 miNov 12$431
Aberdeen SD 142 miNov 11$446
Mandan ND 155 miNov 11$430
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

Napoleon ND 117 mi

Napoleon, ND
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb166426.00$1,920
Heifers 500-599 lb232415.17$2,280
Heifers 600-699 lb195363.73$2,360
Heifers 700-799 lb88345.83$2,590
Steers 400-499 lb189476.09$2,140
Steers 500-599 lb405430.71$2,370
Steers 600-699 lb613404.45$2,630
Steers 700-799 lb175367.12$2,750

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Aberdeen SD 142 mi

Aberdeen, SD
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb248424.35$1,910
Heifers 500-599 lb623397.75$2,190
Heifers 600-699 lb387371.01$2,410
Heifers 700-799 lb105322.85$2,420
Steers 400-499 lb272488.40$2,200
Steers 500-599 lb1,079446.32$2,450
Steers 600-699 lb1,172407.88$2,650
Steers 700-799 lb155380.56$2,850

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Mandan ND 155 mi

Mandan, ND
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb130426.82$1,920
Heifers 500-599 lb560377.72$2,080
Heifers 600-699 lb154355.65$2,310
Heifers 700-799 lb51323.38$2,430
Steers 400-499 lb201505.96$2,280
Steers 500-599 lb771429.81$2,360
Steers 600-699 lb652385.33$2,500

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

2 more within 200 mi: Herreid SD (158 mi), Mobridge SD (185 mi).

Text me Steele County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Napoleon Livestock (feeder cattle) Napoleon, ND 117 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  2. Hub City Livestock Auction Aberdeen, SD 142 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Kist Livestock (feeder cattle) Mandan, ND 155 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Herried Livestock Market Herreid, SD 158 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  5. Mobridge Livestock Exchange Mobridge, SD 185 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 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 North Dakota): South Dakota, Montana

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Steele County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Steele 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 Steele County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Steele County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 68% 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 Steele County?

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

What sale barns are near Steele County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Napoleon ND (117 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Aberdeen SD (142 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Mandan ND (155 mi), last report Nov 11, 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.