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Rancher guides
Plain-language guides on USDA programs, drought, cattle prices, insurance and deadlines in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico. Every guide links to the official source and shows the date it was last checked.
Every county, by state: Texas · Oklahoma · Kansas · New Mexico
- LFP Explained: Does Your County Qualify?How does the Livestock Forage Disaster Program work and does my county qualify?
- Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for YouWhat do drought levels D0, D1, D2, D3 and D4 mean for grazing payments?
- Screwworm: What Southern Plains Ranchers Need to KnowWhat do ranchers need to know about New World screwworm in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico?
- How to Read a USDA Sale Barn ReportHow do I read a USDA sale barn (livestock auction) market report?
- Price per Cwt vs. Price per Head (Worked Example)How do I convert cattle price per cwt to price per head?
- Texas Ag Exemption (1-d-1): Basics and DeadlinesHow do I qualify for a Texas ag exemption (1-d-1 open-space appraisal) and when is it due?
- PRF Insurance Basics and the December 1 DeadlineHow does PRF (Pasture, Rangeland, Forage) insurance work and when is the deadline?
- CRP Emergency Haying and Grazing: The RulesCan I hay or graze CRP land during a drought, and what are the rules?
- Best Time to Sell Calves? What USDA Price History ShowsWhen is the best time of year to sell calves?
- Burn Bans in TX, OK, KS and NM: Where to CheckIs there a burn ban in my county, and can I still do a prescribed burn?
- LRP Insurance for Feeder Cattle, Explained SimplyHow does LRP (Livestock Risk Protection) insurance work for feeder cattle?
- USDA Disaster Designations Explained for RanchersWhat does it mean when my county is declared a USDA disaster area?
- ELAP and LIP Basics: Livestock Disaster HelpWhat are the ELAP and LIP livestock disaster programs and how do I apply?
- Wheat Pasture and First Hollow Stem: When to Pull CattleWhen should I pull cattle off wheat pasture (first hollow stem)?
- Fall Weaning Checklist for Beef CalvesWhat should I do before, during and after weaning calves in the fall?
- EQIP and CSP: How Ranchers Apply to NRCSHow do ranchers apply for EQIP or CSP conservation funding?
- Ag Land Property Tax in Oklahoma, Kansas, New MexicoHow is agricultural land valued for property tax in Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico?
- ARC and PLC Basics for 2026 and 2027 EnrollmentWhat are ARC and PLC, and when is the deadline to enroll?
Key dates in these guides (verified Oct. 18, 2026)
| Date | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 13, 2026 | Texas NRCS EQIP/CSP FY2027 first ranking cutoff | NRCS |
| Nov. 20, 2026 | Kansas NRCS EQIP/CSP FY2027 first ranking cutoff | NRCS |
| Dec. 1, 2026 | PRF sales closing for the 2027 crop year | RMA |
| Dec. 11, 2026 | ARC/PLC 2026 election and enrollment deadline | FSA |
| March 1, 2027 | LFP, LIP and ELAP deadline for 2026 losses | FSA |
| March 15, 2027 | ARC/PLC 2027 enrollment deadline | FSA |
| Before May 1 (by April 30) each year | Texas 1-d-1 application (Form 50-129) | Texas Comptroller |
| 30 days after the assessor mails the notice of valuation | New Mexico ag valuation application (first year) | NMSA 7-36-20 |
| 8 months after the designation date | FSA emergency loan application window | FSA |
Common questions
What is the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)?
LFP is a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) program that pays livestock producers for grazing lost to drought, or to fire on federally managed land. Drought eligibility is set county by county using the U.S. Drought Monitor.
What is the LFP deadline for 2026 grazing losses?
FSA says LFP applications are due March 1 after the year of the loss. For 2026 losses, that is March 1, 2027.
How long does my county have to be in D2 drought to qualify for LFP?
Starting with 2026 losses, D2 (severe drought) for at least 4 weeks in a row during the normal grazing period earns one monthly payment. D2 for 7 of 8 weeks in a row earns two.
How is an LFP payment calculated?
One monthly payment is 60% of a monthly feed cost. FSA uses the lower of a set per-head feed cost times your eligible livestock, or a cost based on your land's normal carrying capacity.
Do I need a disaster declaration to get LFP?
No. LFP is triggered by U.S. Drought Monitor levels in your county during the normal grazing period, not by a disaster designation.
How do I check if my county qualifies for LFP?
Use the FSA LFP Eligibility Tool at droughtmonitor.unl.edu/fsa or FSA's weekly county tables. Check your specific pasture type, then confirm with your county FSA office.
What does D2 mean on the Drought Monitor?
D2 is severe drought, dryness seen only about 5–10% of the time historically. It is the level where many USDA programs, including LFP and CRP emergency haying and grazing, start to trigger.
When does the U.S. Drought Monitor map update?
The map comes out every Thursday and uses data through the previous Tuesday morning. Rain that falls on Wednesday shows up the following week.
What does cwt mean on a cattle sale report?
Cwt means hundredweight, or 100 pounds. A price of $400 per cwt equals $4.00 per pound.
What does Medium and Large 1-2 mean?
It is a USDA feeder cattle grade. Medium and Large describe frame size, and 1 and 2 describe muscle thickness. A 1-2 lot is a mix of No. 1 and No. 2 muscled cattle.
What does Value Added mean on a USDA auction report?
USDA uses Value Added for cattle with several premium traits, such as a known vaccination program, weaning for more than 30 days, source and age verification, or natural or non-hormone-treated status.
How do I convert price per cwt to price per head?
Divide the weight by 100 and multiply by the price per cwt. For example, a 580-lb steer at $369.92 per cwt is 5.80 × $369.92, or about $2,145.54 per head.
How do I convert a per-head price to price per cwt?
Divide the price per head by the weight in hundredweight. For example, $1,250 for a 215-lb calf is $1,250 ÷ 2.15, or about $581.40 per cwt.
What are the signs of New World screwworm?
Watch for wounds that won't heal or keep getting worse, maggots in a wound, a foul smell, discharge, swelling, and animals licking or biting at a spot. Navels on newborns and fresh castration or dehorning cuts are high-risk.
Who do I call to report suspected screwworm?
Texas: TAHC at 1-800-550-8242. Oklahoma: ODAFF State Veterinarian at 405-522-6141. Kansas: KDA Division of Animal Health at 785-564-6601. New Mexico: the New Mexico Livestock Board at 505-841-6161.
Is screwworm a food safety risk?
USDA says New World screwworm is not a food safety issue and the U.S. food supply remains safe.
When can CRP land be hayed or grazed in an emergency?
When any part of the county is D2 or worse on the U.S. Drought Monitor, or the county documents at least a 40% forage loss. You must get FSA approval and a modified conservation plan before you start.
Does emergency haying or grazing reduce my CRP payment?
Under federal rules, approved emergency haying and grazing carries no reduction in your annual CRP rental payment. Non-emergency haying and grazing carries a 25% reduction.
Can I hay CRP during the primary nesting season?
No. Emergency haying is not allowed during the primary nesting season. Emergency grazing can continue then only if the county qualifies for LFP, at 50% of the normal stocking rate.
What does a USDA disaster designation do?
It makes low-interest FSA emergency loans available to eligible producers in the designated (primary) counties and in contiguous counties. Applications are due within 8 months of the designation date.
How does a county get a fast-track drought designation?
It is nearly automatic when, during the growing season, any part of the county is D2 for 8 weeks in a row or D3 or worse at any time on the U.S. Drought Monitor.
What does the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) pay?
LIP generally pays 75% of USDA's set market value for livestock deaths above normal mortality from eligible weather, disease or attacks by federally protected animals. Starting with 2026 losses, it pays 100% for protected predators.
Does ELAP help pay for hauling water in a drought?
Yes, in qualifying drought. FSA's 2025 fact sheet requires that any part of the county reached D3, or 8 weeks in a row of D2, in a way that affected water supply during the normal grazing period. ELAP pays for the hauling, not the water.
When is the PRF insurance deadline?
The PRF sales closing date is December 1 for the following crop year. For the 2027 crop year, that is December 1, 2026.
Does PRF insurance measure the grass on my place?
No. PRF pays from a rainfall index for your roughly 17-by-17-mile grid, using NOAA data. It does not use your own rain gauge or measure your forage.
What does LRP insurance cover?
Livestock Risk Protection covers a drop in price below the coverage price you choose. It is based on the CME Feeder Cattle Index for feeder cattle. It does not cover death, sickness or weight loss.
When is the Texas ag appraisal (1-d-1) application due?
File Form 50-129 with your county appraisal district before May 1 (by April 30) of the year you want it. Late filing is possible until the appraisal review board approves records, usually in July, with a 10% penalty.
What is the Texas rollback tax?
If ag-appraised land changes to a non-agricultural use, the owner who changed the use owes the tax difference between ag value and market value for each of the previous three years.
When should cattle come off wheat pasture?
At first hollow stem, when the hollow part of the stem below the developing head reaches 5/8 inch. Oklahoma research shows grazing past it can cut grain yield 1% to 5% per day.
When are calf prices usually lowest during the year?
In USDA auction data for Texas and Oklahoma, 500–600 lb steer calf prices have usually been lowest in October and November and highest in late winter and spring. Past patterns do not predict future prices.
Cownty is an independent service and is not affiliated with USDA or any government agency. General information, not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice.
See also: answers with live numbers · word list · deadlines