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Watauga County, NC

Cattle prices near Watauga County, North Carolina. The closest sale barn with a recent report is North Wilkesboro NC in North Wilkesboro, NC, about 32 miles away. On Nov 11, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $353.40 per hundredweight on 10 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 North Wilkesboro NC 5-wt steers $353▼ $19 since last sale

Watauga County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Watauga County, NC showed no drought, though 3% at abnormally dry (D0); four weeks earlier 60% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 3%. Rain has run 39% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal) and 91% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 1% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Watauga County with up to 4 monthly payments, and North Wilkesboro NC is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 32 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 39% of normal
  • Last 60 days 120% of normal
  • Last 90 days 91% 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 toward near-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 38°, low 25°, 1% rain, wind 5–18 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 48°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 1–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 52°, low 33°, 0% rain, wind 2 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 54°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 3 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 58°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 2–3 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 59°, low 38°, 1% rain, wind 2–3 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 57°, 1% rain, wind 2–6 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 Watauga 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.

Watauga County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Watauga County grew about 2,683 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 113% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,370 pounds per acre. That was the 6th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2024 at 2,858 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,657.

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 Watauga 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

Watauga 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
North Wilkesboro NC 32 miNov 11$353
Turnersburg NC 55 miNov 9$354
Greeneville TN 62 miNov 14$381
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

North Wilkesboro NC 32 mi

North Wilkesboro, NC
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb8361.50$1,630
Heifers 500-599 lb2320.00$1,760
Heifers 600-699 lb4268.49$1,750
Heifers 700-799 lb1240.00$1,800
Steers 400-499 lb6408.80$1,840
Steers 500-599 lb10353.40$1,940
Steers 700-799 lb9310.06$2,330

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Turnersburg NC 55 mi

Turnersburg, NC
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb33338.61$1,520
Heifers 500-599 lb36313.22$1,720
Heifers 600-699 lb28274.45$1,780
Heifers 700-799 lb12241.30$1,810
Steers 400-499 lb12381.52$1,720
Steers 500-599 lb30354.22$1,950
Steers 600-699 lb21318.23$2,070
Steers 700-799 lb14289.50$2,170

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Greeneville TN 62 mi

Greeneville, TN
Sale of Nov 14, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb10372.53$1,680
Heifers 500-599 lb14328.58$1,810
Heifers 600-699 lb3296.56$1,930
Heifers 700-799 lb3276.67$2,080
Steers 400-499 lb3420.00$1,890
Steers 500-599 lb13381.08$2,100
Steers 700-799 lb1300.00$2,250

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

34 more within 200 mi: Shelby NC (66 mi), Canton NC (79 mi), Dublin VA (83 mi), Norwood NC (113 mi), Williamston SC (120 mi), Laurens SC (121 mi), Roanoke VA (121 mi), Knoxville TN (126 mi), Siler City NC (130 mi), Moneta VA (133 mi), Eastanollee GA (147 mi), Saluda SC (Stockyards) (154 mi), Saluda SC (Exchange) (154 mi), Carnesville GA (155 mi), Sweetwater TN (161 mi), Rustburg VA (161 mi), Darlington SC (169 mi), Somerset KY (171 mi), Athens TN (171 mi), Richmond KY (176 mi), Mt. Sterling KY (177 mi), Ripley WV (179 mi), Washington GA (182 mi), Athens GA (183 mi), Stanford KY (186 mi), Crossville TN (186 mi), Flemingsburg KY (188 mi), Monterey VA (190 mi), Albany KY (193 mi), Smithfield NC (194 mi), Russell Springs KY (195 mi), Orangeburg SC (195 mi), Paris KY (196 mi), Lexington KY (198 mi).

Text me Watauga County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Wilkes Livestock Exchange North Wilkesboro, NC 32 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  2. Harward Brothers Livestock Market Turnersburg, NC 55 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  3. Volunteer Stockyards Greeneville, TN 62 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  4. Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Shelby, NC 66 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  5. WNC Regional Livestock Center Canton, NC 79 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 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 Carolina): Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Watauga County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Watauga 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 Watauga County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Watauga County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 3% 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 Watauga County?

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

What sale barns are near Watauga County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: North Wilkesboro NC (32 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Turnersburg NC (55 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Greeneville TN (62 mi), last report Nov 14, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Apples 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; 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.