LFP Trigger Watch
South Dakota counties at an LFP drought level in 2026
Each South Dakota county where fn’s weekly U.S. Drought Monitor record shows a drought level that the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) ties to monthly payments this year, with the most payments that level is tied to. A county on this list may be eligible. FSA decides eligibility, including your county’s normal grazing period and pasture type. County names link to fn’s county guide with the local FSA office.
Drought map of Oct 27, 2026. Checking for a newer weekly map…
54of 66 South Dakota counties show an LFP drought level in 2026
0at the 5-payment level
22at the 4-payment level
| County | Up to | Level reached | D3+ weeks | D4 weeks | This week | First met |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 19 | 0 | D1 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Bon Homme County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 17 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Butte County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 9 | 0 | D2 | Jun 9, 2026 |
| Charles Mix County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 17 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Clay County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 9 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Corson County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 6 | 0 | D1 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Custer County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 22 | 0 | D1 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Dewey County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 10 | 0 | D2 | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Fall River County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 22 | 0 | D1 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Gregory County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 11 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Harding County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 10 | 0 | D3 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| Hutchinson County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 5 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Jackson County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 10 | 0 | D1 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Lawrence County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 20 | 0 | D2 | May 12, 2026 |
| Meade County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 17 | 0 | D2 | May 12, 2026 |
| Moody County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 5 | 0 | D1 | May 12, 2026 |
| Oglala Lakota County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 22 | 0 | D1 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Pennington County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 22 | 0 | D2 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Potter County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 10 | 0 | D2 | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Sully County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 10 | 0 | D2 | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Yankton County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 17 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Ziebach County | 4 payments | D3 or worse for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in at least one week | 6 | 0 | D1 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Aurora County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Brule County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 1 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Davison County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Douglas County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Hanson County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Lake County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D1 | May 12, 2026 |
| Lyman County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 1 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| McCook County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 1 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Minnehaha County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D1 | May 12, 2026 |
| Perkins County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 2 | 0 | D1 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Tripp County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 1 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Turner County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 1 | 0 | D0 | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Union County | 3 payments | D3 or worse in at least one week | 3 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Beadle County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Brookings County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D1 | Jun 23, 2026 |
| Buffalo County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | No drought | May 12, 2026 |
| Edmunds County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D2 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| Faulk County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D2 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Hand County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D1 | May 12, 2026 |
| Hyde County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D2 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| Jerauld County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | No drought | May 12, 2026 |
| Mellette County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Miner County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Sanborn County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Stanley County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D2 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| Todd County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Walworth County | 2 payments | D2 or worse in 7 of 8 weeks | 0 | 0 | D2 | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Deuel County | 1 payment | D2 or worse for 4 weeks in a row | 0 | 0 | D1 | Jun 23, 2026 |
| Kingsbury County | 1 payment | D2 or worse for 4 weeks in a row | 0 | 0 | D1 | Jun 23, 2026 |
| Lincoln County | 1 payment | D2 or worse for 4 weeks in a row | 0 | 0 | D0 | May 12, 2026 |
| Marshall County | 1 payment | D2 or worse for 4 weeks in a row | 0 | 0 | D2 | Sep 29, 2026 |
| Roberts County | 1 payment | D2 or worse for 4 weeks in a row | 0 | 0 | D2 | Sep 29, 2026 |
How this list works
- Drought data: fn’s weekly copy of the U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics. A week counts at the worst level touching any part of the county. The file updates each Thursday after the new map; this page reads the newest copy when it loads.
- Payment levels (7 CFR 1416.207, with the D2 change from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act): D2 for 4 weeks in a row = up to 1 monthly payment; D2 in 7 of 8 weeks = 2; D3 in any week = 3; D3 for 4 or more weeks, or D4 in any week = 4; D4 for 4 or more weeks = 5. The highest level reached in 2026 is shown.
- Grazing period: LFP counts only drought weeks inside the county’s normal grazing period. fn has a state-level native-pasture period on file for 15 states (Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming) and counts only those weeks there. In other states every week is counted, so the level shown may be higher than FSA’s. Periods can differ by county and pasture type.
- Earlier drought this year: for states with a grazing period on file, fn also checks every weekly map of 2026 (the copy published with the site), so a D2 run that ended earlier still counts. “First met” is the first map date that check reached a payment level.
- This is not FSA’s list. FSA decides which counties and producers are eligible. If your county qualifies, the application is form CCC-853 at your FSA office, due March 1 after the year of the loss (March 1, 2027 for 2026 drought), per FSA’s LFP page.
To estimate a payment for your herd, use the LFP calculator; it checks your county’s level from the same data.