Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Nebraska › Wheeler County

Wheeler County, NE

Cattle prices near Wheeler County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ericson in Ericson, NE, about 13 miles away. On Nov 14, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $451.18 per hundredweight on 526 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Ericson 5-wt steers $451▲ $15 since last sale

Wheeler County rain, outlook and forecast

As of the Nov 10 Drought Monitor, most of Wheeler County, NE showed no drought, though 12% at abnormally dry (D0); four weeks earlier 9% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 114% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal); Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 72% (high 60°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain). Wheeler County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Ericson, 13 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 114% 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 (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 52°, low 37°, 1% rain, wind 10–15 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 53°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 15–20 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Cloudy, high 53°, low 45°, 0% rain, wind 20–25 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 64°, low 34°, 5% rain, wind 5–25 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 52°, low 42°, 19% rain, wind 5–15 mph
  6. Friday Rain Showers Likely, high 60°, low 41°, 72% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers, high 47°, low 28°, 25% rain, wind 10–25 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 Wheeler 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.

Wheeler County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Wheeler County grew about 2,139 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 111% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,924 pounds per acre. That was the 11th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,422 pounds per acre; worst: 2002 at 1,518.

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 Wheeler 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

Wheeler 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
Ericson 13 miNov 14$451
Burwell 33 miNov 13$444
Bassett 69 miNov 11$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

Ericson 13 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

Burwell 33 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

Bassett 69 mi

Bassett, NE
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb213449.59$2,020
Heifers 500-599 lb746412.45$2,270
Heifers 600-699 lb280392.31$2,550
Heifers 700-799 lb5329.00$2,470
Steers 400-499 lb329499.48$2,250
Steers 500-599 lb1,183459.16$2,530
Steers 600-699 lb1,297409.98$2,660
Steers 700-799 lb377380.54$2,850

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

13 more within 200 mi: Kearney (89 mi), West Point (94 mi), Lexington (102 mi), Valentine (123 mi), Mitchell SD (127 mi), North Platte (128 mi), Worthing SD (132 mi), Dunlap IA (150 mi), Denison IA (163 mi), Ogallala (174 mi), Imperial (189 mi), Fort Pierre SD (193 mi), Gordon (198 mi).

Text me Wheeler County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 13 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  2. Burwell Livestock Market Burwell, NE 33 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  3. Bassett Livestock Auction Bassett, NE 69 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  4. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 89 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. West Point Livestock (feeder cattle) West Point, NE 94 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 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 Wheeler County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Wheeler 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 Wheeler County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Wheeler County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 12% 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 Wheeler 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 Wheeler County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Ericson (13 mi), last report Nov 14, 2026; Burwell (33 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026; Bassett (69 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.