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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.

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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)

Drought pasture pay (LFP)

On FSA's 2026 list for 4 pasture types. Up to 4 monthly payments.

Bring head counts, grazing leases and pasture acres to your county FSA office.

How to read this

Each bar is a pasture type; the number is how many monthly payments it qualifies for (1 to 5).

Pasture table
Pasture typeGrazing periodQualifying datePayments
Full Season Improved2026-05-01 to 2026-10-312026-05-014
Native Pasture2026-05-01 to 2026-10-312026-05-014
Forage Sorghum2026-07-01 to 2026-09-152026-07-012
Long Season Small Grains2026-04-01 to 2026-05-302026-04-012

FSA "Counties & Pasture Types Eligible for 2026 LFP", file dated Nov 5, 2026 (download). FSA decides eligibility. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: How LFP works and who qualifies

Guide: ELAP and LIP basics

USDA disaster declarations

  • Apr 15, 2026 · Drought
    Wheeler declared · crop year 2026
  • Jun 2, 2025 · Drought
    Wheeler declared · crop year 2025
  • Jun 2, 2025 · Drought
    Neighboring county declared (counts for Wheeler) · crop year 2025

"Declared" means USDA named this county. "Neighboring" means it touches a declared county. Either way, FSA emergency loans can open for about 8 months. FSA designation files (dated Jan 28, 2026, Oct 19, 2026). Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: What a disaster designation means

CRP emergency haying and grazing

Not on the list Wheeler County is not on FSA's emergency haying and grazing list as of Nov 5, 2026. Non-emergency haying and grazing may still be allowed outside the primary nesting season.

Before haying and grazing, contact your FSA county office to see if your county remains eligible and/or obtain a modified conservation plan. This list is cumulative for the year and current local conditions may have changed.

Source: FSA eligible-county table posted Nov 5, 2026 · map · FSA program page. FSA posts a new file every Thursday. Fetched Nov 9, 2026.

Guide: CRP emergency haying and grazing rules

Screwworm (Texas Animal Health Commission)

Data pending. animal-health alerts are read for Texas (TAHC) and Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico (state ag departments); Nebraska's state veterinarian isn't read yet

Guide: Screwworm: what to know

New FSA programs: watch list
DateScopeReleaseFlag
Nov 4, 2026MississippiUSDA Designates one Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 4, 2026Hawaii and Pacific IslandsUSDA Extends Application Deadline for Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Guam and CNMI Counties for Typhoon Bavi Impacts
Nov 4, 2026NebraskaUSDA Authorizes Deadline Extension for Emergency Conservation Program in Several Wildfire-Impacted Counties
Nov 4, 2026FloridaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Nov 3, 2026AlabamaUSDA Designates 9 Alabama Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
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.