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Valley County, NE

Cattle prices near Valley County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Burwell in Burwell, NE, about 17 miles away. On Nov 13, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $443.62 per hundredweight on 847 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) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Burwell 5-wt steers $444▲ $19 since last sale

Valley County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Valley County, NE with no drought; four weeks earlier 55% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. The 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain) and the best rain chance this week is 69% on Friday (high 62°). Valley County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Burwell is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 17 miles.

Rain vs normal

Rain totals: not read yet.

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 wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 53°, low 34°, 1% rain, wind 10–15 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 39°, 0% rain, wind 15–20 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 54°, low 44°, 0% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 64°, low 32°, 6% rain, wind 5–25 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 53°, low 42°, 17% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 62°, low 39°, 69% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  7. Saturday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 47°, low 26°, 19% rain, wind 5–25 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 Valley 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.

Valley County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Valley County grew about 2,300 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 108% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,133 pounds per acre. That was the 9th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,583 pounds per acre; worst: 1993 at 1,580.

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 Valley 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

Valley 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
Burwell 17 miNov 13$444
Ericson 22 miNov 14$451
Kearney 60 miNov 11$436
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

Burwell 17 mi

Burwell, NE
Sale of Nov 13, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb301435.15$1,960
Heifers 500-599 lb585408.43$2,250
Heifers 600-699 lb85362.08$2,350
Steers 400-499 lb225496.15$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb847443.62$2,440
Steers 600-699 lb705403.72$2,620

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Ericson 22 mi

Ericson, NE
Sale of Nov 14, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb183441.78$1,990
Heifers 500-599 lb543391.52$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb11369.00$2,400
Steers 400-499 lb192498.12$2,240
Steers 500-599 lb526451.18$2,480
Steers 600-699 lb366422.88$2,750
Steers 700-799 lb9372.50$2,790

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Kearney 60 mi

Kearney, NE
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb162416.50$1,870
Heifers 500-599 lb426389.69$2,140
Heifers 600-699 lb122337.78$2,200
Heifers 700-799 lb42323.07$2,420
Steers 400-499 lb212492.77$2,220
Steers 500-599 lb390435.82$2,400
Steers 600-699 lb311394.95$2,570
Steers 700-799 lb175361.38$2,710

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

12 more within 200 mi: Lexington (67 mi), Bassett (76 mi), North Platte (97 mi), West Point (119 mi), Valentine (121 mi), Ogallala (145 mi), Imperial (156 mi), Mitchell SD (157 mi), Worthing SD (166 mi), Dunlap IA (176 mi), Gordon (186 mi), Denison IA (190 mi).

Text me Valley County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Burwell Livestock Market Burwell, NE 17 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  2. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 22 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  3. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 60 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Lexington Livestock Market Lexington, NE 67 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  5. Bassett Livestock Auction Bassett, NE 76 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 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

Other barns nearby (not USDA-reported)

These barns are not in a USDA AMS report, so Cownty shows no prices for them. Sale days and phones come from the barns' own sites or public listings; call the barn to confirm. More barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Nebraska

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Valley County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Valley 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 Valley County this week?

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

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

What sale barns are near Valley County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Burwell (17 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; Ericson (22 mi), last report Nov 14, 2026; Kearney (60 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.