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Wells County, ND

Cattle prices near Wells County, North Dakota. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Napoleon ND in Napoleon, ND, about 75 miles away. On Nov 12, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $430.71 per hundredweight on 405 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Wells 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 No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 2 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Napoleon ND 5-wt steers $431▲ $26 since last sale

Wells County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Wells County, ND with no drought, though 1% at moderate drought (D1); four weeks earlier 32% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 1%. Rain has run 121% of normal over the last 30 days (above normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain) and Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 54% (high 37°). Wells County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 2 monthly payments, and Napoleon ND is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 75 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 121% 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 (40% 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 53°, low 36°, 1% rain, wind 7–20 mph
  2. Monday Partly Sunny, high 57°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 7–9 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 52°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 5–12 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain, high 44°, low 34°, 51% rain, wind 5–20 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Cloudy, high 38°, low 30°, 8% rain, wind 1–17 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain And Snow, high 37°, low 29°, 54% rain, wind 8–17 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain And Snow, high 33°, low 22°, 38% rain, wind 7–22 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 Wells 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.

Wells County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Wells County grew about 1,891 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 126% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,505 pounds per acre. That was the 2nd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 1,916 pounds per acre; worst: 1988 at 884.

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 Wells 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

Wells 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 75 miNov 12$431
Mandan ND 77 miNov 11$430
Herreid SD 122 miNov 13$452
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 75 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

Mandan ND 77 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

Herreid SD 122 mi

Herreid, SD
Sale of Nov 13, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb196452.98$2,040
Heifers 500-599 lb192405.48$2,230
Heifers 600-699 lb125360.91$2,350
Heifers 700-799 lb32332.50$2,490
Steers 400-499 lb568517.81$2,330
Steers 500-599 lb269452.28$2,490
Steers 600-699 lb161398.02$2,590
Steers 700-799 lb121370.61$2,780

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

3 more within 200 mi: Mobridge SD (145 mi), Dickinson ND (154 mi), Aberdeen SD (157 mi).

Text me Wells County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Napoleon Livestock (feeder cattle) Napoleon, ND 75 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  2. Kist Livestock (feeder cattle) Mandan, ND 77 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Herried Livestock Market Herreid, SD 122 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  4. Mobridge Livestock Exchange Mobridge, SD 145 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  5. Stockmen's Livestock Exchange (feeder cattle) Dickinson, ND 154 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 Wells County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Wells County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 2 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 Wells County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Wells County was in no drought, and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 1% 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 Wells 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 Wells County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Napoleon ND (75 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Mandan ND (77 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Herreid SD (122 mi), last report Nov 13, 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.