2006 Custom Rates for Farm Services in Missouri Ron Plain, Joyce White, and John Travlos Department of Agricultural Economics The rates reported in this guide are based on a statewide survey conducted by mail in the fall of 2006. Farmers, agribusiness firms, aerial applicators and land improvement contractors responded to questions concerning rates they were actually charging for custom services —excluding the cost of materials being applied. There is no assurance that the average rates reported in this guide will cover your costs for performing the service or that you will be able to hire a custom operator for the average rates shown. Calculate your own costs carefully before deciding the rate to charge or pay. Before entering into an a agreement, discuss with the other party all the details of the specific job to be performed. Fuel prices have a big impact on custom rate charges. At the time of this survey, the average retail price of gasoline was about $3.00 a gallon, or 40¢ a gallon higher than when our 2003 survey was conducted. Explanation of rates in this guide Rates reflect the respondents’ own judgment as to what they charge for a “normal” job. Rates for small jobs will be higher, sometimes much higher, than those reported in this guide. Custom operators may give special estimates for jobs that are abnormally large, small, or complex. Some jobs show a wide range in rates. Possible explanations are topography, type of equipment used, location (distance to job), or different income needs of the full-time custom operator as compared with a farmer supplementing his income. The “number reporting” and “range in rates” columns are important. Some items had very few responses or a wide range in rates, so the “average” may not accurately reflect rates in your area. ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== Moldboard Normal soil Acre 17.41 9.00 15.00 40.00 19 Moldboard Heavy soil Acre 21.46 12.00 18.50 45.00 14 Chisel plow Normal soil Acre 14.52 8.00 12.00 40.00 22 Chisel plow Heavy soil Acre 17.57 12.00 14.50 40.00 14 Disk Chisel Acre 14.38 12.00 12.75 20.00 4 Plowing or cutting disk (heavy disk) Acre 12.79 8.00 12.00 22.00 14 Plowing or cutting disk (heavy disk) Hour 37.33 14.00 32.50 60.00 6 V-rip or subsoil Acre 18.11 10.00 15.50 45.00 22 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== Tandem disk (finishing disk) Acre 11.47 7.00 10.00 20.00 34 Disk with harrow attached Acre 10.93 7.00 10.00 22.00 20 Harrow only Acre 6.71 2.50 5.50 15.00 14 Field cultivate only Acre 9.62 7.00 9.50 15.00 25 Mulch finisher Acre 11.17 8.00 10.00 15.00 9 Cultivate tows Acre 8.25 5.00 8.50 10.00 6 Cultipack Acre 9.58 7.50 10.00 12.00 6 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== Corn or milo: - Plant only Acre 11.72 6.00 12.00 20.00 36 - Plant + fertilizer/chemicals Acre 17.38 15.00 16.25 22.00 4 Soybean: - Plant 30-inch rows Acre 11.92 6.00 13.00 15.00 12 - Plant 15-inch rows Acre 12.62 7.00 12.00 20.00 21 - Drill 7- or 9-inch rows Acre 12.30 7.00 12.00 18.00 23 Small grains: - Drill 7- or 9-inch rows Acre 12.60 10.00 12.50 18.00 21 Grass or clover: - Drill 7- or 9-inch rows Acre 12.19 10.00 12.00 18.00 13 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== Corn or milo: - Plant only Acre 13.61 10.00 13.50 22.00 41 - Plant + fertilize Acre 17.40 13.00 17.00 20.00 5 Soybean: - Plant 30-inch rows Acre 14.00 10.00 14.00 22.00 13 - Plant 15-inch rows Acre 13.57 10.00 13.25 22.00 30 - Drill 7- or 9-inch rows Acre 13.60 10.00 13.00 20.00 29 Small grains: - Drill 7- or 9-inch rows Acre 13.83 10.00 13.00 18.00 24 Grass or clover: - Drill 7- or 9-inch rows Acre 14.63 12.00 14.50 18.00 8 Broadcast seed with ATV Acre 3.71 1.00 3.50 7.00 12 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== Liming Deliver and spread, including cost of lime, flat rate Ton 14.05 3.50 13.50 22.00 44 Complete fertilizer application (deliver & spread, not including cost of fertilzer) Anhydrous ammonia Acre 9.25 4.00 9.63 14.00 26 Dry fertilizer on cropland: - single spread Acre 4.34 3.00 4.50 6.00 68 - double spread Acre 5.81 3.25 5.50 9.00 57 Dry fertilizer on pasture (topdressing) Acre 4.36 3.00 4.13 9.00 76 Dry fertilizer + seed broadcast Acre 5.24 3.00 5.00 10.00 71 Liquid fertilizer Acre 4.65 3.50 4.63 6.00 40 Liquid fertilizer + other chemicals Acre 4.98 3.75 5.00 9.00 42 Side-dress fertilizer Acre 6.53 4.00 7.00 10.00 21 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== APPLYING FERTILIZER AND CHEMICALS Spray with truck Acre 5.06 4.00 5.00 10.00 47 Spray with flotation Acre 4.97 4.00 5.00 6.00 43 Spray with self-propelled row crop sprayer Acre 5.01 4.00 5.00 6.50 63 Spray with tractor mounted or pulled sprayer Acre 5.05 3.50 4.75 9.00 16 Spray with ATV Acre 6.00 -- 5.00 -- 3 Spray and incorporate with cultivator or disk Acre 12.33 -- 13.00 -- 3 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== APPLYING FERTILIZER AND CHEMICALS Aerial spraying crops or crop dusting Acre 6.75 5.75 7.00 7.50 6 Aerial spraying brush Acre 9.88 7.50 9.75 12.50 4 Aerial fertilizer spreading Pound .08 .05 .06 .15 4 Aerial seeding Pound .09 .06 .08 .15 4 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== HARVESTING AND HAULING GRAIN, SEED, SILAGE Combining Corn Acre 26.02 22.00 25.00 31.00 56 Soybean Acre 25.77 20.00 25.00 35.00 62 Grain sorghum Acre 25.55 22.00 25.00 30.00 19 Small grains Acre 24.62 20.00 25.00 30.00 38 Clover or alfalfa seed Acre 27.92 22.00 26.25 40.00 6 Crop 1/2 of crop -- -- -- 7 Fescue or other grass seed Acre 23.75 -- 25.00 -- 4 Crop 1/2 of crop -- -- -- 13 Ear corn with picker Acre 23.00 12.00 25.00 30.00 4 Field to farm storage, less than 5 miles Bushel .11 .03 .10 .25 38 Field to market, more than 5 miles Bushel .16 .08 .15 .42 47 Bin to market with 18-wheeler Loaded Mile 3.19 2.00 3.00 6.50 20 Field chop only Ton 3.31 2.00 3.13 5.00 4 Chop, haul, & fill silo Ton 6.38 5.00 5.00 10.00 4 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== CUSTOM FARMING Producing corn Acre 77.25 50.00 71.50 135.00 8 Producing soybean Acre 69.22 45.00 60.00 125.00 9 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== PROCESSING GRAIN AND SEED Grind and mix grain at farm Ton 16.00 -- 20.00 -- 3 Grind and mix grain at elevator Ton 12.27 5.00 10.00 20.00 22 Reclean soybeans Bushel .86 .45 .95 1.25 14 Reclean and bag soybeans Bushel 1.31 .65 1.30 2.00 13 Reclean small grain Bushel .85 .45 .90 1.15 15 Reclean and bag small grain Bushel 1.23 .65 1.25 1.55 13 Reclean and bag clover seed 100 lb rough wt 9.85 8.00 9.50 15.00 8 Reclean and bag grass seed 100 lb rough wt15.19 10.00 15.00 22.50 7 Bagging grain or seed (not including cost of bag) Bushel .81 .60 .75 1.00 7 Charge for each 1% moisture removed Bushel .04 .03 .04 .07 15 with shrink rate per 1% moisture % of gross wt 1.42% 1.0% 1.5% 1.75% 15 Charge for each 1% moisture removed, with no shrink rate Bushel .058 .04 .06 .07 8 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== HARVESTING AND HAULING HAY AND BALEAGE Hay Baling Preparation Mowing hay Acre 9.00 5.00 9.00 15.00 22 Hour 39.60 18.00 40.00 60.00 5 Hay conditioning (crushing or crimping) Acre 12.00 10.00 10.00 20.00 7 Mowing and conditioning Acre 11.11 6.00 10.00 20.00 27 Raking Hay Acre 4.30 2.00 4.00 10.00 31 Hour 29.80 14.00 30.00 50.00 5 Hay tedding Acre 3.87 2.00 4.00 6.00 15 Small Bales Baling only Bale .52 .30 .50 1.00 24 Combination, mow, rake, bale Bale 1.10 .60 1.05 1.75 12 Complete hay harvest (mow,rake,bale, haul,unload) Bale 1.81 1.30 1.75 2.50 5 Haul and unload, less than 20 miles Bale .47 .15 .43 1.00 6 Haul small bales over 20 miles Loaded Mile 2.42 2.00 2.25 3.50 6 Large Bales Baling only: - 750-1,000 lb bales Bale 7.76 5.00 7.00 12.00 17 - 1,000-1,500 lb bales Bale 8.39 6.00 8.00 12.50 40 - 1,500 lb bales & larger Bale 9.07 7.00 9.00 11.00 22 Mow, rake, bale: - 750-1000 lb bales Bale 13.23 8.00 13.00 17.50 15 - 1,000-1,500 lb bales Bale 14.14 10.00 14.00 20.00 33 - 1,500 lb bales & larger Bale 14.81 11.00 15.00 18.00 16 Bale & net wrap: - 750-1,000 lb bales Bale 8.38 6.00 8.00 13.00 13 - 1,000-1,500 lb bales Bale 9.73 7.00 9.50 13.00 20 - 1,500 lb bales & larger Bale 10.18 7.00 10.00 13.00 19 Mow, rake, bale, and net wrap: - 750-1,000 lb bales Bale 14.54 10.00 15.00 18.50 12 - 1,000-1,500 lb bales Bale 15.60 12.00 15.00 23.00 20 - 1,500 lb bales & larger Bale 16.19 13.00 16.00 23.00 17 Wrap bales in plastic for baleage Bale 6.17 -- 6.00 -- 3 Fill plastic tubes with bales for baleage Bale 6.75 4.00 7.25 8.50 4 Moving large bales with farm vehicle or wagon - 1 mile or less Bale 2.21 1.00 2.00 5.00 29 - 2 to 20 miles Bale 4.23 2.00 4.00 6.25 25 Haul large bales over 20 miles Loaded mile 2.65 1.80 2.50 4.00 12 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== MOWING, CHOPPING, SAWING, HAULING LIVESTOCK Mowing pasture Acre 10.47 7.00 10.00 15.00 18 Hour 39.61 10.00 45.00 80.00 18 Mowing CRP land Acre 11.32 6.00 10.50 15.00 28 Hour 48.56 20.00 45.00 80.00 16 Cutting brush (brush hog) Acre 16.40 10.00 15.00 30.00 5 Hour 51.45 25.00 47.50 100.00 20 Chopping stalks Hour 45.83 15.00 47.50 80.00 6 Sawing firewood, 2 ft lengths with chain saw Hour 13.80 12.00 12.00 18.00 5 Cord 103.00 50.00 105.00 150.00 5 Hauling livestock: With gooseneck Loaded mile 2.27 .50 2.00 4.25 25 With 18-wheeler Loaded mile 2.73 -- 3.00 -- 3 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== FENCE WORK Inspection and minor repairs Hour 17.65 7.00 15.00 50.00 17 Fence removal Hour 27.94 7.00 16.00 100.00 17 Qtr mile 474.67 -- 500.00 -- 3 Fence building, easy terrain: - Barbed wire, set posts Hour 17.58 7.00 14.00 55.00 13 Qtr mile 1,016.86 528.00 800.00 1,800.00 7 - Barbed & woven wire, set posts Hour 19.25 7.00 15.00 55.00 12 Qtr mile 1,268.50 660.00 1,188.00 2,000.00 6 Fence building, rough terrain: - Barbed wire, set posts Hour 20.36 7.00 15.00 55.00 11 Qtr mile 1,069.50 500.00 923.00 2,000.00 8 - Barbed & woven wire, set posts Hour 21.45 7.00 16.00 55.00 11 Qtr mile 1,331.14 600.00 1,200.00 2,200.00 7 Post hole digging, non-rocky soil Hour 31.89 7.00 35.00 50.00 9 Hole 5.86 1.50 5.00 10.00 11 Post hole digging, rocky soil Hour 32.63 7.00 28.50 60.00 8 Hole 10.56 3.00 11.25 15.00 8 Post driving Hour 18.75 7.00 15.00 50.00 15 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== WATER MANAGEMENT AND EARTH MOVING Building terraces: - Conventional gradient Hour 90.75 40.00 92.50 110.00 20 Cubic yd 2.25 1.45 2.00 3.50 5 Linear ft1.59 1.00 1.40 3.50 17 - Parallel, cut and fill to grass outlets Hour 94.38 75.00 92.50 115.00 16 Cubic yd 1.82 1.39 1.70 2.50 4 Linear ft1.81 1.25 1.67 3.50 16 - Parallel, with storage to tile outlets Hour 95.33 75.00 95.00 115.00 15 Cubic yd 1.95 -- 1.90 -- 3 Linear ft2.03 1.40 1.80 3.50 15 - Diversion Hour 93.70 75.00 92.50 120.00 20 Cubic yd 1.96 1.50 1.98 2.60 10 Linear ft2.20 1.40 2.00 3.50 9 Grade and shape grass waterways Hour 93.48 40.00 97.50 135.00 27 Cubic yd 1.70 1.38 1.68 2.00 12 Linear ft2.41 1.50 2.08 4.00 4 Ditch construction Hour 96.76 40.00 97.50 135.00 34 Cubic yd 1.94 1.25 1.80 3.00 5 Building ponds and lakes Hour 97.16 40.00 95.00 150.00 25 Cubic yd 1.98 1.10 1.75 4.00 39 Land leveling Hour 98.46 40.00 100.00 150.00 38 Cubic yd 2.32 1.25 1.78 4.00 6 ========================================================================== Basis of Average Mid High Number Charge rate ($) Low ($) ($)* ($) reporting ========================================================================== WATER MANAGEMENT AND EARTH MOVING Bulldozer: - Under 100 horsepower Hour 77.50 40.00 80.00 100.00 22 - 100-150 horsepower Hour 97.36 70.00 100.00 130.00 42 Cubic yd 2.07 -- 1.90 -- 3 - Over 150 horse power Hour 108.33 80.00 110.00 150.00 45 Cubic yd 1.77 -- 1.90 -- 3 Scraper: - Small (less than 10 cu yd) Hour 73.44 30.00 72.50 125.00 16 - Medium (10-15 cu yd) Hour 104.09 60.00 100.00 150.00 34 Cubic yd 2.12 1.60 2.15 2.60 4 - Large (over 15 cu yd) Hour 130.33 70.00 125.00 175.00 15 Motor grader: - Under 100 hp Hour 76.18 30.00 80.00 100.00 17 - 100 hp or larger Hour 83.82 50.00 80.00 125.00 17 Track-type loader: - Under 100 hp Hour 81.00 60.00 80.00 95.00 15 - 100 hp or larger Hour 102.60 75.00 100.00 150.00 25 Skid loader Hour 57.23 25.00 57.50 85.00 46 Back hoe Hour 67.87 35.00 65.00 100.00 54 Track hoe Hour 107.64 70.00 102.50 150.00 36 Trencher Hour 83.33 -- 65.00 -- 3 Linear ft1.14 .60 1.00 2.10 24 Tiling machine Hour 55.00 -- 60.00 -- 3 Linear ft1.17 .85 1.00 1.75 9 Tree Shear Hour 57.00 45.00 57.50 75.00 10