What the words mean

Plain-English meanings for the agency names and terms on Cownty. On other pages, tap a dotted-underlined word to see the same note.

1 in 10: One year in ten, the freeze comes later in spring (or earlier in fall) than this date.
5-area: Fed-cattle prices averaged across 5 major feeding regions (TX/OK/NM, KS, NE, CO, IA/MN).
5-weight: Steers or heifers weighing 500-599 lb. Guide: Price per Cwt vs. Price per Head (Worked Example)
ACEP: Agricultural Conservation Easement Program: NRCS pays to keep land in ag for good.
AMS: USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. Its Market News reporters attend sales and publish prices. Guide: How to Read a USDA Sale Barn Report
ARC: Agriculture Risk Coverage (County): pays when county crop revenue drops below a guarantee. Guide: ARC and PLC Basics for 2026 and 2027 Enrollment
ARC-CO: Agriculture Risk Coverage (County): pays when county crop revenue drops below a guarantee. Guide: ARC and PLC Basics for 2026 and 2027 Enrollment
Base acres: Acres FSA counts for ARC/PLC payments, based on history, not what you plant. Guide: ARC and PLC Basics for 2026 and 2027 Enrollment
Boxed beef: Wholesale value of the beef from a carcass.
Cattle on Feed: USDA's monthly count of cattle in big feedlots.
Commodity loan: A low-interest FSA loan on stored grain. The rate is how much FSA lends per bushel.
Contiguous: Borders a county USDA declared a disaster area. Guide: USDA Disaster Designations Explained for Ranchers
CRP: Conservation Reserve Program: land enrolled to rest. You get yearly rent. Guide: CRP Emergency Haying and Grazing: The Rules
CSP: Conservation Stewardship Program: yearly NRCS payments for conservation you keep doing. Guide: EQIP and CSP: How Ranchers Apply to NRCS
Cutout: Wholesale value of the beef from a carcass.
cwt: Hundredweight = 100 lb. "$406/cwt" means $4.06 a pound. Guide: Price per Cwt vs. Price per Head (Worked Example)
D0: Drought Monitor level D0: abnormally dry. Guide: Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for You
D1: Drought Monitor level D1: moderate drought. Guide: Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for You
D2: Drought Monitor level D2: severe drought. Guide: Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for You
D3: Drought Monitor level D3: extreme drought. Guide: Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for You
D4: Drought Monitor level D4: exceptional drought. Guide: Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for You
Disaster designation: USDA declaring a county a disaster area.
Dressed: Price per 100 lb of carcass.
Drought Monitor: The weekly national drought map (USDA, NOAA, University of Nebraska). Guide: Drought Monitor D0–D4: What Each Level Means for You
ELAP: Emergency Assistance for Livestock: helps with extra feed, water hauling and some losses. Guide: ELAP and LIP Basics: Livestock Disaster Help
EQIP: Environmental Quality Incentives Program: NRCS pays part of the cost of conservation work like water lines, cross-fencing or brush control. Guide: EQIP and CSP: How Ranchers Apply to NRCS
Fed cattle: Finished cattle sold to packers.
FOB: Price at the feedlot, before freight.
Frost: 32°F.
FSA: Farm Service Agency, the USDA office in your county that runs disaster pay, CRP and farm loans.
Hard freeze: 28°F.
Head-weighted average: An average where bigger lots count more. Guide: How to Read a USDA Sale Barn Report
HRW: Hard red winter wheat, the main wheat grown here.
LFP: Livestock Forage Disaster Program: USDA pays for grazing lost to drought or fire. Guide: LFP Explained: Does Your County Qualify?
LIP: Livestock Indemnity Program: pays for livestock deaths from weather or disease. Guide: ELAP and LIP Basics: Livestock Disaster Help
Live: Price per 100 lb on the hoof.
LRP: Livestock Risk Protection: price insurance for cattle you plan to sell. Guide: LRP Insurance for Feeder Cattle, Explained Simply
Market News: USDA's market reporters who attend sales and publish prices. Guide: How to Read a USDA Sale Barn Report
Medium & Large 1: USDA's grade for frame and muscling. Most feeder cattle sold are these grades. Guide: How to Read a USDA Sale Barn Report
MYA: Marketing-year average price: the national average a crop sold for over the season.
NCEI: NOAA's climate data center.
NIFC: National Interagency Fire Center.
NOAA: The federal weather and climate agency.
NRCS: Natural Resources Conservation Service, the USDA office that cost-shares fences, water and brush work. Guide: EQIP and CSP: How Ranchers Apply to NRCS
NWS: National Weather Service.
PLC: Price Loss Coverage: pays when the national season-average price falls below the reference price. Guide: ARC and PLC Basics for 2026 and 2027 Enrollment
PRF: Pasture, Rangeland, Forage insurance: pays when rain in your area runs below normal. Guide: PRF Insurance Basics and the December 1 Deadline
RAP: Rangeland Analysis Platform: satellite estimate of grass grown.
Rendition: Telling the appraisal district what business property you own (livestock, equipment).
RMA: Risk Management Agency, the USDA office behind crop insurance.
Screwworm: New World screwworm: a fly whose larvae eat living flesh. Outbreaks bring movement rules. Guide: Screwworm: What Southern Plains Ranchers Need to Know
TAHC: Texas Animal Health Commission, the state livestock health agency.
USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture.
WASDE: USDA's monthly world supply and demand report.
WFIGS: The national fire center's fire-outline map.
WFRP: Whole Farm Revenue Protection: insures the whole operation's revenue.