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Washington County, CO

Cattle prices near Washington County, Colorado. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Brush in Brush, CO, about 30 miles away. On Nov 13, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $435.27 per hundredweight on 99 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Washington County is on FSA's list (since Oct 20, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Brush 5-wt steers $435▲ $7 since last sale

Washington County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Washington County, CO with no drought, though 1% at severe drought (D2), and D2-or-worse drought has held there 4 weeks running. Rain has run 158% of normal over the last 90 days; the best rain chance this week is 47% on Friday (high 60°) 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 Washington County with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Brush, 30 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days not read yet
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 158% 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 wetter than normal (50% 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 33°, 0% rain, wind 13–16 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 60°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 12–18 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Sunny, high 61°, low 41°, 5% rain, wind 7–20 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 33°, 10% rain, wind 7–17 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 56°, low 38°, 1% rain, wind 10–21 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers, high 60°, low 33°, 47% rain, wind 9–18 mph
  7. Saturday Slight Chance Rain And Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 49°, low 28°, 20% rain, wind 13–20 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 Washington 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.

Washington County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Washington County grew about 1,421 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 117% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,211 pounds per acre. That was the 6th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2023 at 1,718 pounds per acre; worst: 2002 at 706.

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 1 open

What happenedStartedTell FSA early byFSA deadline
Severe drought (D2) began (U.S. Drought Monitor) Oct 20, 2026Nov 19, 2026 (4 days left)Mar 1, 2027

If this cost you livestock, extra feed or hauled water, call your county FSA office now, while it's fresh. The 30-day date is a suggestion from Cownty; FSA's deadline for the notice of loss and application is the March 1 date. Log it in your Drought Ledger · Find your FSA office and phone

Text YES CLOCK for a reminder on day 21 and day 28.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

Washington 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)

FSA grain loan rates (2026)

What FSA will lend on stored grain, per bushel. Lets you hold grain instead of selling at harvest.

CropWashington CountyNational average
Corn$2.57 /bu $2.42 /bu
Grain sorghum$4.12 /cwt
($2.31 /bu)
 $2.42 /bu
Soybeans$6.47 /bu $6.82 /bu
Hard red winter wheat$3.53 /bu $3.72 /bu
Hard red spring wheat$3.71 /bu $3.72 /bu
Soft white wheat$3.88 /bu $3.72 /bu

County marketing-loan rates. Sorghum's county rate is set per 100 lb; the per-bushel figure uses 56 lb a bushel. Source: FSA 2026 corn/sorghum/soybean schedule, wheat schedule, national rates. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

FSA farm loan interest rates

FSA direct loanRate
Farm Operating - Direct5.625%
Farm Operating - Microloan5.625%
Farm Ownership - Direct6.250%
Farm Ownership - Microloan6.250%
Farm Ownership - Direct, Joint Financing4.250%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment2.250%
Emergency Loan - Amount of Actual Loss3.750%

Set nationally by FSA; the same in every county. Effective Nov 1, 2026. Source: FSA current loan interest rates. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Farm program payments by crop (ARC and PLC)

ARC pays when county crop revenue falls below its guarantee. PLC pays when the national price falls below the reference price. You picked one per crop when you enrolled.

2026 program year guarantees only FSA file of Jan 16, 2026

CropGuaranteeMost it can pay
Barley $491.09 $65.48
Corn irrigated $879.19 $117.23
Corn nonirrigated $202.00 $26.93
Dry Peas $172.65 $23.02
Grain Sorghum $158.46 $21.13
Oats $189.11 $25.21
Soybeans $535.38 $71.38
Sunflower Seed $166.77 $22.24
Wheat irrigated $367.12 $48.95
Wheat nonirrigated $215.41 $28.72
Show the math
CropBenchmark yield × priceBenchmark revenue
Barley84.86 bushel/ac × $6.43$545.65
Corn irrigated194.21 bushel/ac × $5.03$976.88
Corn nonirrigated44.62 bushel/ac × $5.03$224.44
Dry Peas1284.89 pound/ac × $0.15$191.83
Grain Sorghum33.22 bushel/ac × $5.30$176.07
Oats53.33 bushel/ac × $3.94$210.12
Soybeans48.88 bushel/ac × $12.17$594.87
Sunflower Seed737.67 pound/ac × $0.25$185.30
Wheat irrigated58.44 bushel/ac × $6.98$407.91
Wheat nonirrigated34.29 bushel/ac × $6.98$239.34

Dollars per base acre, before the 85% payment-acre factor and sequestration. Source: FSA ARC-CO 2026 county data.

2025 program year final payment rates FSA file of Nov 2, 2026

CropGuaranteeActual revenueARC payment
Barley $419.77 $766.04$0.00
Canola $299.43 $264.75$34.68
Corn irrigated $864.48 $844.60$19.88
Corn nonirrigated $205.61 $286.62$0.00
Dry Peas $197.48 $149.02$26.33
Grain Sorghum $161.99 $200.16$0.00
Oats $184.31 $132.75$24.57
Soybeans $520.81 $768.60$0.00
Sunflower Seed $166.64 $336.96$0.00
Wheat irrigated $383.64 $392.86$0.00
Wheat nonirrigated $229.86 $177.96$30.65
Show the math
CropBenchmark yield × priceBenchmark revenue
Barley76.46 bushel/ac × $6.10$466.41
Canola1282.07 pound/ac × $0.26$332.70
Corn irrigated190.96 bushel/ac × $5.03$960.53
Corn nonirrigated45.42 bushel/ac × $5.03$228.46
Dry Peas1485.56 pound/ac × $0.15$219.42
Grain Sorghum33.96 bushel/ac × $5.30$179.99
Oats53.33 bushel/ac × $3.84$204.79
Soybeans47.55 bushel/ac × $12.17$578.68
Sunflower Seed737.67 pound/ac × $0.25$185.16
Wheat irrigated61.07 bushel/ac × $6.98$426.27
Wheat nonirrigated36.59 bushel/ac × $6.98$255.40

Dollars per base acre, before the 85% payment-acre factor and sequestration. Source: FSA ARC-CO 2025 county data.

PLC, 2026 FSA table of Oct 30, 2026

CropReference priceSeason avg pricePLC payment
Wheat /bushel$6.35$6.30 projected$0.05 projected
Barley /bushel$5.58$5.70 projected$0.00 projected
Oats /bushel$3.05$3.35 projected$0.00 projected
Corn /bushel$4.42$4.70 projected$0.00 projected
Grain Sorghum /bushel$4.67$4.50 projected$0.17 projected
Soybeans /bushel$10.71$12.00 projected$0.00 projected

PLC rates are national (paid on the farm's PLC yield). Source: FSA 2026 PLC table. FSA decides who is paid.

FSA payments in Washington County

$22,122,955

3,571 payments dated Jan 16, 2025 to Dec 23, 2025 (FSA payment file 2025).

ProgramYearTotal
Emergency Commodity Assistance Program2024$10,780,651
Supplemental disaster relief (crops)2024$3,196,164
Supplemental disaster relief (crops)2023$1,644,732
CRP annual rent2023$1,638,600
CRP annual rent2022$1,368,667
CRP annual rent2024$1,092,885
CRP annual rent2021$857,187
CRP annual rent2025$496,600

Plus 22 smaller program lines.

County totals only: Cownty sums FSA's public payment file by county and never stores names or addresses. FSA files payments under its administrative county (Washington), which may differ from where the land is. Source: FSA payment file via the FOIA reading room.

Guide: ARC and PLC basics

Crop conditions (statewide)

Colorado crop and pasture condition

Colorado statewide, not just your county. Wheat planting is on pace with normal (99% vs 98%). From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Nov 8, 2026.

ConditionPoor or
very poor		FairGood or
excellent
Winter Wheat12%44% 44%

Progress

ColoradoThis weekLast weekNormal (5-yr avg)
Winter Wheat Planted99%99%98%
Winter Wheat Emerged90%81%87%
Sorghum Harvested80%65%83%
Corn Harvested77%65%79%

Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress released Nov 9, 2026 (ESMIS), Colorado rows. Week ending Nov 8, 2026. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Text me Washington County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Livestock Exchange (Friday feeder cattle) Brush, CO 30 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  2. Sterling Livestock Commission Sterling, CO 45 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Imperial Auction Market Imperial, NE 91 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 6, 2026
  4. Ogallala Livestock Auction Ogallala, NE 112 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  5. Winter Livestock (Tuesday) La Junta, CO 138 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 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 Colorado

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Washington County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Washington 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 Washington County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Washington County was in no drought, and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on 1% of the county. 4 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 Washington County?

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

What sale barns are near Washington County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Brush (30 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; Sterling (45 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Imperial (91 mi), last report Nov 6, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Colorado EQIP/CSP/RCPP/ACEP application ranking cutoff (FY 2027); Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 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.