Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota: FSA office, USDA programs and local data

145

Farms & Ranches

1.1M

Acres in Agriculture

7,386

Avg Farm Size (acres)

$35.5M

Cattle Sales

Top commodities: Cattle, Grain, Wheat, Corn

Source: 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture

Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has 145 farms working 1,070,988 agricultural acres (average 7,386 acres per farm). Cattle sales were $35.5 million in 2022. Top commodities in the 2022 Census: cattle, wheat, corn. Vegetation typically peaks in Jun, defining the primary growing season. Source: 2022 Census of Agriculture county profile.

Local USDA offices for Oglala Lakota County

USDA Service Center in Martin (FSA and NRCS)

USDA Service Center (FSA + NRCS)

farm numbers, disaster programs, loans, EQIP, CSP

706 W Bennett Ave, Martin, SD 57551

(605) 685-1239

This county also has 1 more NRCS office. View all offices

Office info is from USDA’s published directory. Wrong address or phone? Tell us.

Drought tax note

Oglala Lakota County is listed in IRS Notice 2026-54, which names areas where severe, extreme or exceptional drought was reported in the 12 months ending August 31, 2026. If you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock (not poultry) beyond your usual number solely because of drought, you may be able to defer the gain by buying replacement livestock. Where the drought led to a federal disaster designation, the replacement period is four years after the end of the first tax year in which you realized any of the gain. If your four-year period was set to end in 2026, this listing extends it until the end of your first tax year ending after a drought-free year for your county and the counties around it. Ask your tax preparer whether this applies to you. Read IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)

Programs likely to fit Oglala Lakota County operations

With 145 farms averaging 7,386 acres, a cattle and wheat commodity base, vegetation typically peaking in Jun, these are the federal programs most worth a closer look. Every program is competitive — confirm fit with your local USDA office.

PRF rainfall insuranceOglala Lakota County's 2022 cattle sales were $35.5M. Pasture and range are 91% of Oglala Lakota County's farmland (971,147 acres, 2022 Census). PRF can pay when your grid's rainfall index for the intervals you insure comes in below your coverage level.
LFP — Livestock Forage DisasterPart of Oglala Lakota County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 28 of the last 52 weekly Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought (D3) in 25. LFP can pay eligible livestock producers once D2 lasts 4 consecutive weeks inside the grazing period; FSA decides eligibility.
Livestock price insurance (LRP, LGM)The 2022 Census counted 42,001 head of cattle in Oglala Lakota County. LRP can put a price floor under feeder or fed cattle for the weeks you choose.
EQIP Prescribed GrazingRanch-scale operations averaging 7,386 acres in Oglala Lakota County have the kind of pasture footprint where rotational grazing plans tend to rank well with NRCS.
ARC / PLC enrollmentOglala Lakota County's wheat base means producers should review ARC-CO and PLC each enrollment window — the 2025 OBBB updates raised statutory reference prices for most covered commodities.
APH-based crop insuranceOglala Lakota County ranked 58th among the 66 South Dakota counties with crop insurance indemnities in crop years 2022 to 2026 (USDA RMA). Your APH yield history sets the guarantee on wheat yield and revenue policies.

Oglala Lakota County at a glance

Drought, last 52 weeks: Part or all of the county was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 28 of the last 52 weeks, and in extreme drought (D3) or worse in 25.
LFP drought trigger: May have been met in 2026, first on the map dated Apr 21, 2026. Highest level that year: D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week, which LFP ties to up to 4 monthly payments. Counting only weeks inside South Dakota's typical native-pasture grazing period (Apr 15 to Oct 15). Example only, for a 100-cow herd: 4 × $24.84 (60% of FSA's 2025 adult beef feed cost of $41.40 per head per month) × 100 head = $9,936, subject to carrying capacity and FSA's determination. Run your own numbers in the LFP calculator.
PRF rainfall index: The May–Jun index, the interval ending in the county's usual peak-greenness month, came in below 90 in 14 of the 30 years from 1996 to 2025 (the median of the county’s 19 PRF grids). Below 90 is where a 90% coverage policy can start to pay. See every interval for your grid in the PRF tool.
Nearest sale barns: Gordon Livestock Market, Gordon, NE: about 40 miles
Sheridan Livestock Auction Co., Rushville, NE: about 45 miles
Martin Livestock Auction Inc., Martin, SD: about 45 miles
Crop insurance claims: $16.1 million in indemnities for crop years 2022 to 2026. Largest by crop: PRF pasture, rangeland and forage (32%), corn (27%), wheat (22%). Leading causes: drought (46%), index and area plans such as PRF, SCO and ECO (35%), hail (10%). PRF policies paid $5.0 million of the $16.1 million. Drought caused 46% of these indemnities. For pasture and hay ground, the drought programs to look at are PRF rainfall insurance and LFP.

Drought: U.S. Drought Monitor weekly county maps, Aug 26, 2025 to Oct 27, 2026. LFP counts only weeks inside your county's normal grazing period for your pasture type, and FSA decides eligibility. Check with your FSA office.

PRF: rainfall index history by grid (100 = normal for that grid and interval), the same data the PRF tool uses. Past years do not predict future payments.

Sale barns: public listings (Angus Auction Central, USDA AMS Market News, USDA Packers and Stockyards registrations), one per town. Distances are straight-line from the center of the county. Call ahead for sale days.

Crop insurance: USDA RMA Cause of Loss data, pulled Oct 21, 2026. The latest crop year is still being reported.

ARC/PLC in Oglala Lakota County

FSA’s Agriculture Risk Coverage-County (ARC-CO) figures for the crops it lists in Oglala Lakota County: the 2025 payment rates and the 2026 benchmarks. ARC-CO can pay when a crop’s county revenue (county yield times the national price) falls below 90% of its benchmark revenue, up to 12% of benchmark revenue. Your FSA county office has your farm’s base acres, PLC yield and payment amounts.

2025 ARC-CO payment rates

Oglala Lakota County: 2025 ARC-CO payment rate per acre, from FSA’s file as of September 30, 2026
Crop and 2025 county yield	ARC-CO rate	PLC rate (national)
Corn43.62 bu/acre vs. benchmark 56.82	$34.30at the 12% cap	$0.26/bu
Soybeans24.57 bu/acre vs. benchmark 25.37	$19.89	$0.21/bu
Wheat32.87 bu/acre vs. benchmark 33.96	$28.44at the 12% cap	$1.29/bu
Grain sorghum58.53 bu/acre vs. benchmark 46.01	$4.66	$1.00/bu
Barley57.3 bu/acre vs. benchmark 43.07	$0.00	$0.00/bu
Oats79.25 bu/acre vs. benchmark 58.13	$0.00	$0.00/bu
Dry peas1,585.29 lb/acre vs. benchmark 1,426.77	$13.69	$0.02/lb
Safflower1,171 lb/acre vs. benchmark 765	$0.00	$0.0335/lb
Sunflower seed605.53 lb/acre vs. benchmark 1,121.98	$33.79at the 12% cap	$0.00/lb

A farm’s payment is the rate times 85% of its base acres for that crop. Example: corn at $34.30 × 85% = $29.15 per base acre, before the 5.7% sequestration cut FSA applies to 2025 ARC and PLC payments and any payment-limit reduction. For 2025 only, the law has FSA pay each enrolled farm the higher of ARC-CO or PLC for each crop, so a farm enrolled in PLC may still receive the ARC-CO rate where it comes out higher. PLC rates are national and are paid per unit of the farm’s own PLC yield.

2026 ARC-CO benchmarks

Oglala Lakota County: 2026 ARC-CO benchmarks per acre, from FSA’s file as of January 16, 2026
Crop	Benchmark yield	Guarantee (90% of benchmark revenue)
Cornprice $5.03/bu	54.2 bu	$245.37of $272.63
Soybeansprice $12.17/bu	27.73 bu	$303.72of $337.47
Wheatprice $6.98/bu	31.3 bu	$196.62of $218.47
Grain sorghumprice $5.30/bu	37.67 bu	$179.69of $199.65
Barleyprice $6.43/bu	49.53 bu	$286.63of $318.48
Oatsprice $3.94/bu	60.63 bu	$214.99of $238.88
Dry peasprice $0.1493/lb	1,315.33 lb	$176.74of $196.38
Safflowerprice $0.2773/lb	848 lb	$211.64of $235.15
Sunflower seedprice $0.2512/lb	1,114 lb	$251.86of $279.84

ARC-CO may pay for 2026 if a crop’s 2026 county yield times its 2026/27 national price (or the loan rate, if higher) comes in below the guarantee, up to 12% of benchmark revenue. FSA sets 2026 rates after each crop’s marketing year ends.

ARC/PLC payments in every county ARC/PLC payment estimator ARC vs PLC guide

Source: FSA, 2025 ARC-County Benchmark Yields and Revenues as of September 30, 2026; 2026 ARC-County Benchmark Yields and Revenues as of January 16, 2026; 2025 PLC Payment Rates (October 9, 2026) from FSA’s ARC/PLC program data page, retrieved October 29, 2026.

← South Dakota Farm Programs Guide

Farm Programs & Local Resources

Oglala Lakota County was named Shannon County until May 1, 2015, when its FIPS code also changed from 46113 to 46102 (U.S. Census Bureau).

Always verify with your local USDA office. Report an error

About Oglala Lakota County

Oglala Lakota County is part of the Mixed Sandy and Silty Tableland and Badlands land resource region (MLRA 64). The county's mean elevation is about 2,965 feet.

Based on 1991–2020 normals, Oglala Lakota County sees 19.2 in of rain, a 48.3°F mean annual temperature.

Oglala Lakota County carries 42,001 head of cattle (2022 Ag Census). Pastureland totals 971,147 acres. 145 farms operate in the county, averaging 7,386 acres each.

Quick Facts


Region	Southwest
Top Commodities	Cattle, Wheat, Corn

Current Conditions

Drought status: Moderate Drought (D1). D3 or worse in 22 weeks this grazing season: eligible livestock producers may qualify for an LFP payment equal to 4 monthly payments. FSA decides eligibility, and only weeks inside your county's normal grazing period count. Estimate an LFP payment.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor · Updated 2026-10-27

Related program guides

EQIP Prescribed Grazing CSP

Vegetation Baseline

0.23

Typical NDVI (Apr)

0.47

Peak season (Jun)

JanJulDec

5-year average NDVI from MODIS MOD13Q1 (2021–2025 avg)

Next steps

Before you call the office, see what to ask and how EQIP ranking works.

Disaster programs: LIP (livestock deaths), ELAP (hauling water and feed), ECP (fence and land repair), TAP (trees, bushes and vines). See the South Dakota LFP Trigger Watch for counties at an LFP drought level.