Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Virginia › Winchester city

Winchester city, VA

Cattle prices near Winchester County, Virginia. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Winchester VA in Winchester, VA, about 0 miles away. On Nov 9, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $395.14 per hundredweight on 59 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Not listedFSA 2026 list Burn ban Checkcall the county Winchester VA 5-wt steers $395per cwt

Winchester County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Winchester County, VA was abnormally dry (D0) on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map; 100% of the county is abnormally dry (D0) or worse, the same as four weeks earlier. Over 90 days rain is at 77% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 5% (well below normal); no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 14% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain). FSA has not added Winchester County to its 2026 LFP list, and Winchester VA is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 0 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 5% of normal
  • Last 60 days 77% of normal
  • Last 90 days 77% 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 drier than normal (33% chance of below-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 Chance Rain And Snow Showers, high 50°, low 34°, 14% rain, wind 5–14 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 55°, low 29°, 2% rain, wind 5–8 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 60°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 2 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 65°, low 33°, 0% rain, wind 1 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 67°, low 37°, 0% rain, wind 1–2 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 68°, low 38°, 0% rain, wind 1–3 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 67°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

Winchester County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Winchester County grew about 2,152 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 90% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,397 pounds per acre. That was the 19th lowest of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2006 at 3,011 pounds per acre; worst: 1987 at 575.

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 Winchester 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

Winchester 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

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

Data pending. FSA's 2026 county loan-rate schedule has no row for this county

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.

Data pending. last fetch failed: HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/arc-plc/program-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 Winchester County

Data pending. last fetch failed: HTTPError: 403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/tools/informational/freedom-information-act-foia/electronic-reading-room/frequently-requested/payment-files

Guide: ARC and PLC basics

Crop conditions (statewide)

Virginia crop and pasture condition

Virginia statewide, not just your county. From USDA's weekly Crop Progress report, week ending Nov 8, 2026.

ConditionPoor or
very poor		FairGood or
excellent

Progress

VirginiaThis weekLast weekNormal (5-yr avg)
Cotton Harvested63%48%63%

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

Text me Winchester County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Farmers Livestock Exchange Winchester, VA 0 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Fauquier Livestock Exchange Marshall, VA 28 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Oct 23, 2026
  3. South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange Moorefield, WV 43 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Oct 31, 2026
  4. Culpeper Culpeper, VA 50 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 6, 2026
  5. Radiant Livestock Radiant, VA 59 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

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for Virginia): Kentucky, Tennessee

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Winchester County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Nov 5, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Winchester County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Winchester County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 100% 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 Winchester County?

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

What sale barns are near Winchester County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Winchester VA (0 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Marshall VA (28 mi), last report Oct 23, 2026; Moorefield WV (43 mi), last report Oct 31, 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.