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Union County, IA

Cattle prices near Union County, Iowa. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Lamoni IA in Lamoni, IA, about 33 miles away. On Nov 5, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $455.05 per hundredweight on 80 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 Lamoni IA 5-wt steers $455per cwt

Union County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Union County, IA showed no drought. Rain has run 188% 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 the NWS forecast peaks at a 75% rain chance on Friday (high 63°). FSA has not added Union County to its 2026 LFP list, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Lamoni IA, 33 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 188% of normal
  • Last 60 days 203% 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 31°, 0% rain, wind 3–7 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 53°, low 37°, 0% rain, wind 7–12 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 56°, low 44°, 0% rain, wind 10–17 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 46°, 15% rain, wind 10–21 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 46°, 15% rain, wind 3–9 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 63°, low 52°, 75% rain, wind 8–17 mph
  7. Saturday Rain Showers Likely, high 61°, low 38°, 67% rain, wind 10–17 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 Union 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.

Union County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Union County grew about 2,600 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 116% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,249 pounds per acre. That was the 4th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2024 at 2,701 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,741.

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 Union 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 Union 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
Lamoni IA 33 miNov 5$455
Russell IA 55 miNov 9$423
Unionville MO 75 miOct 27$459
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

Lamoni IA 33 mi

Lamoni, IA
Sale of Nov 5, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb40407.92$1,840
Heifers 500-599 lb41377.88$2,080
Heifers 600-699 lb19337.35$2,190
Heifers 700-799 lb5285.00$2,140
Steers 400-499 lb21519.66$2,340
Steers 500-599 lb80455.05$2,500
Steers 600-699 lb161385.44$2,510
Steers 700-799 lb7310.00$2,320

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Russell IA 55 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

Unionville MO 75 mi

Unionville, MO
Sale of Oct 27, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb42445.52$2,000
Heifers 500-599 lb61386.62$2,130
Heifers 600-699 lb9363.00$2,360
Steers 400-499 lb43521.30$2,350
Steers 500-599 lb100459.44$2,530
Steers 600-699 lb197410.77$2,670
Steers 700-799 lb8314.00$2,360

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

16 more within 200 mi: Green City MO (86 mi), Denison IA (89 mi), Dunlap IA (90 mi), Bloomfield IA (97 mi), Sigourney IA (108 mi), Tama IA (108 mi), Tina MO (111 mi), New Cambria MO (117 mi), Macon MO (129 mi), West Point (139 mi), Kingsville MO (158 mi), Palmyra MO (166 mi), Windsor MO (177 mi), Kingdom City MO (189 mi), Butler MO (191 mi), Bowling Green MO (198 mi).

Text me Union County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Lamoni Livestock Auction Market (feeder cattle) Lamoni, IA 33 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 5, 2026
  2. Russell Livestock Market (feeder cattle) Russell, IA 55 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  3. Unionville Livestock Market Unionville, MO 75 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Oct 27, 2026
  4. Green City Livestock Auction Green City, MO 86 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Denison Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Denison, IA 89 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 · Hay prices in Iowa

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Union 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 Union County this week?

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

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Lamoni IA (33 mi), last report Nov 5, 2026; Russell IA (55 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Unionville MO (75 mi), last report Oct 27, 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.