Iowa custom rates, 2026 survey
Sigurd Lindquist, CCA · numbers from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
What farmers and custom operators in Iowa said they charged or paid for custom work, as the 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey (Ag Decision Maker File A3-10, FM 1698, revised March 2026) printed it. Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
Search jobs and compare neighbors
| Job | Average | Range | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tillage | |||
| Chopping cornstalks | $14.55 per acrerange $8.00 to $20.00 | $8.00 to $20.00 | 32 |
| Moldboard plowing | $20.10 per acrerange $14.00 to $24.00 | $14.00 to $24.00 | 17 |
| Chisel plowing | $20.75 per acrerange $10.00 to $28.00 | $10.00 to $28.00 | 37 |
| Disk/chiseling | $23.00 per acrerange $10.00 to $34.00 | $10.00 to $34.00 | 58 |
| Vertical tillage | $22.15 per acrerange $12.00 to $30.00 | $12.00 to $30.00 | 79 |
| Strip tillage, without fertilizer application | $23.20 per acrerange $15.00 to $30.00 | $15.00 to $30.00 | 20 |
| Strip tillage, with dry bulk fertilizer, banded, no materials | $29.65 per acrerange $17.00 to $40.00 | $17.00 to $40.00 | 21 |
| Strip tillage, with liquid fertilizer, knifed, no materials | $28.15 per acrerange $17.00 to $39.00 | $17.00 to $39.00 | 16 |
| Strip tillage, with anhydrous fertilizer, no materials | $28.35 per acrerange $17.00 to $37.00 | $17.00 to $37.00 | 18 |
| Subsoiling (8 to 15 inches deep) | $25.20 per acrerange $13.00 to $35.00 | $13.00 to $35.00 | 36 |
| V-ripping (over 15 inches deep) | $27.20 per acrerange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 28 |
| V-ripping with tandem disk | $26.10 per acrerange $12.25 to $40.00 | $12.25 to $40.00 | 48 |
| Disking, tandem | $19.80 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 59 |
| Disking, heavy or offset | $23.75 per acrerange $16.00 to $30.00 | $16.00 to $30.00 | 22 |
| Harrowing or dragging | $12.80 per acrerange $7.00 to $18.00 | $7.00 to $18.00 | 23 |
| Soil finishing | $19.80 per acrerange $10.00 to $33.00 | $10.00 to $33.00 | 52 |
| Field cultivating | $19.20 per acrerange $7.60 to $32.00 | $7.60 to $32.00 | 82 |
| Rock picking | $18.50 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 23 |
| Cultivating, conventional | $17.45 per acrerange $12.00 to $20.00 | $12.00 to $20.00 | 18 |
| Cultivating, ridge-till | $17.35 per acrerange $15.00 to $18.75 | $15.00 to $18.75 | 8 |
| Rotary hoeing | $12.85 per acrerange $8.00 to $17.00 | $8.00 to $17.00 | 28 |
| Land rolling | $9.75 per acrerange $4.00 to $18.00 | $4.00 to $18.00 | 56 |
| Planting, Drilling, and Seeding | |||
| Planting, with fertilizer and insecticide attachments | $29.60 per acrerange $16.00 to $50.00 | $16.00 to $50.00 | 47 |
| Planting, without attachments | $26.50 per acrerange $15.00 to $38.00 | $15.00 to $38.00 | 69 |
| Planting, with splitters and attachments | $28.50 per acrerange $13.00 to $47.00 | $13.00 to $47.00 | 49 |
| Planting, with high-speed planter | $31.25 per acrerange $14.00 to $56.00 | $14.00 to $56.00 | 71 |
| Planting, no-till planter | $29.10 per acrerange $15.00 to $46.00 | $15.00 to $46.00 | 76 |
| Planting, no-till planter with splitters | $30.00 per acrerange $16.00 to $45.00 | $16.00 to $45.00 | 58 |
| Planting, ridge till planter | $28.45 per acrerange $24.00 to $34.00 | $24.00 to $34.00 | 7 |
| Extra charge for seed shut-offs | $3.75 per acrerange $0.50 to $10.00 | $0.50 to $10.00 | 70 |
| Extra charge for variable rate seeding | $3.90 per acrerange $1.00 to $10.00 | $1.00 to $10.00 | 52 |
| Extra charge for GPS use, if used for analytics | $3.65 per acrerange $1.00 to $10.00 | $1.00 to $10.00 | 45 |
| Seed tender | $5.05 per acrerange $2.00 to $10.00 | $2.00 to $10.00 | 51 |
| Drilling soybean | $22.00 per acrerange $14.00 to $28.00 | $14.00 to $28.00 | 33 |
| Drilling soybean, no-till | $24.15 per acrerange $15.00 to $32.00 | $15.00 to $32.00 | 40 |
| Drilling grass seed | $21.80 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 36 |
| Drilling small grain | $19.45 per acrerange $10.00 to $27.00 | $10.00 to $27.00 | 30 |
| Seeding grass, broadcast with tractor | $15.65 per acrerange $8.00 to $25.00 | $8.00 to $25.00 | 19 |
| Seeding grass, broadcast with ATV | $18.65 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 16 |
| Aerial seeding of cover crop | $14.70 per acrerange $10.00 to $18.00 | $10.00 to $18.00 | 25 |
| Drilling cover crop seed | $19.05 per acrerange $9.00 to $25.00 | $9.00 to $25.00 | 39 |
| Spraying (materials not included) | |||
| Ground, broadcast, not incorporated, tractor | $8.50 per acrerange $5.00 to $14.00 | $5.00 to $14.00 | 35 |
| Ground, incorporated, tractor | $12.30 per acrerange $7.00 to $18.00 | $7.00 to $18.00 | 10 |
| Ground, broadcast, not incorporated, self-propelled | $9.35 per acrerange $5.00 to $18.00 | $5.00 to $18.00 | 121 |
| Ground, broadcast, self-propelled tall-crop | $11.15 per acrerange $6.00 to $20.00 | $6.00 to $20.00 | 65 |
| Ground, banded, tractor | $12.20 per acrerange $8.50 to $16.00 | $8.50 to $16.00 | 8 |
| Ground, road ditches | $90.45 per hourrange $25.00 to $145.00 | $25.00 to $145.00 | 40 |
| Aerial | $12.00 per acrerange $9.00 to $18.00 | $9.00 to $18.00 | 54 |
| Drone | $12.50 per acrerange $8.00 to $16.00 | $8.00 to $16.00 | 47 |
| Fertilizer Application (materials not included) | |||
| Dry bulk fertilizer, applied | $8.15 per acrerange $4.00 to $13.50 | $4.00 to $13.50 | 59 |
| Liquid fertilizer, spraying | $9.45 per acrerange $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | 35 |
| Liquid fertilizer, side dressing | $14.10 per acrerange $9.00 to $20.00 | $9.00 to $20.00 | 38 |
| Liquid fertilizer, high clearance, drop hose, Y spray nozzle | $13.25 per acrerange $8.00 to $20.00 | $8.00 to $20.00 | 26 |
| Anhydrous, injecting, with tool bar | $15.55 per acrerange $7.00 to $28.00 | $7.00 to $28.00 | 79 |
| Anhydrous, injecting, without tool bar | $13.45 per acrerange $8.00 to $20.00 | $8.00 to $20.00 | 42 |
| Anhydrous, side dressing | $13.55 per acrerange $8.00 to $18.00 | $8.00 to $18.00 | 15 |
| Spreading lime | $8.30 per tonrange $5.00 to $14.00 | $5.00 to $14.00 | 31 |
| Harvesting, Drying, and Hauling Grain | |||
| Corn combining | $46.05 per acrerange $25.00 to $80.00 | $25.00 to $80.00 | 119 |
| Corn combining, with chopper head | $50.60 per acrerange $25.00 to $80.00 | $25.00 to $80.00 | 61 |
| Corn combining, added charge for corn reel (downed corn) | $12.55 per acrerange $5.00 to $30.00 | $5.00 to $30.00 | 34 |
| Soybean combining | $43.05 per acrerange $24.00 to $70.00 | $24.00 to $70.00 | 94 |
| Soybean combining, with air reel | $47.00 per acrerange $26.00 to $70.00 | $26.00 to $70.00 | 21 |
| Soybean combining, with draper head | $48.20 per acrerange $24.00 to $80.00 | $24.00 to $80.00 | 95 |
| Small grain combining | $47.00 per acrerange $35.00 to $65.00 | $35.00 to $65.00 | 13 |
| Complete harvesting (combine, grain cart, haul to farm storage), Corn | $82.00 per acrerange $40.00 to $175.00 | $40.00 to $175.00 | 67 |
| Complete harvesting (combine, grain cart, haul to farm storage), Soybean | $77.40 per acrerange $32.00 to $175.00 | $32.00 to $175.00 | 68 |
| Added charge for GPS mapping | $3.95 per acrerange $1.00 to $8.00 | $1.00 to $8.00 | 46 |
| Picking ear corn | $49.70 per acrerange $30.00 to $100.00 | $30.00 to $100.00 | 19 |
| Drying corn (includes fuel, electricity, labor), continuous flow dryer | $0.055 per bushel per pointrange $0.025 to $0.09 | $0.025 to $0.09 | 21 |
| Drying corn (includes fuel, electricity, labor), bin dryer | $0.05 per bushel per pointrange $0.025 to $0.06 | $0.025 to $0.06 | 10 |
| Handling grain by auger | $0.085 per bushelrange $0.02 to $0.16 | $0.02 to $0.16 | 37 |
| Hauling grain, grain cart, corn | $9.25 per acrerange $3.00 to $22.00 | $3.00 to $22.00 | 72 |
| Hauling grain, grain cart, soybean | $8.10 per acrerange $2.00 to $19.00 | $2.00 to $19.00 | 72 |
| Hauling grain, to farm storage, wagon | $0.095 per bushelrange $0.04 to $0.15 | $0.04 to $0.15 | 28 |
| Hauling grain, farm storage to market, wagon | $0.125 per bushelrange $0.05 to $0.24 | $0.05 to $0.24 | 27 |
| Hauling grain, to market, truck, (5 miles, 1-way trip) | $0.135 per bushelrange $0.06 to $0.50 | $0.06 to $0.50 | 96 |
| Hauling grain, to market, truck, (25 miles, 1-way trip) | $0.20 per bushelrange $0.09 to $0.35 | $0.09 to $0.35 | 97 |
| Hauling grain, to market, truck, (100 miles, 1-way trip) | $0.405 per bushelrange $0.18 to $0.65 | $0.18 to $0.65 | 46 |
| Harvesting Forages | |||
| Hay mowing | $15.45 per acrerange $9.50 to $21.00 | $9.50 to $21.00 | 20 |
| Hay mowing/conditioning | $17.30 per acrerange $10.00 to $25.00 | $10.00 to $25.00 | 31 |
| Hay raking | $9.90 per acrerange $7.50 to $15.00 | $7.50 to $15.00 | 24 |
| Hay merging | $12.40 per acrerange $8.00 to $13.00 | $8.00 to $13.00 | 5 |
| Hay tedding | $11.85 per acrerange $8.00 to $15.00 | $8.00 to $15.00 | 12 |
| Swathing hay or small grain | $18.00 per acrerange $15.00 to $22.00 | $15.00 to $22.00 | 5 |
| Hay baling, small square bales | $1.00 per balerange $0.50 to $1.50 | $0.50 to $1.50 | 16 |
| Hay baling, large square bales | $14.90 per balerange $13.00 to $18.00 | $13.00 to $18.00 | 7 |
| Hay baling, large round bales without wrap | $13.15 per balerange $10.00 to $20.00 | $10.00 to $20.00 | 11 |
| Hay baling, large round bales with wrap | $15.75 per balerange $12.00 to $20.00 | $12.00 to $20.00 | 39 |
| Straw or corn stalk baling, large round or square bales without wrap | $14.50 per balerange $10.00 to $20.00 | $10.00 to $20.00 | 8 |
| Straw or corn stalk baling, large round or square bales with wrap | $16.85 per balerange $12.00 to $20.00 | $12.00 to $20.00 | 31 |
| Moving large round bales to storage | $3.25 per balerange $1.50 to $5.00 | $1.50 to $5.00 | 11 |
| Haul round bales by truck or trailer | $0.29 per bale per loaded milerange $0.18 to $0.38 | $0.18 to $0.38 | 6 |
| Haul round bales by truck or trailer | $118.00 per hourrange $90.00 to $150.00 | $90.00 to $150.00 | 5 |
| Silage chopping | $77.40 per hour per row of headrange $50.00 to $98.00 | $50.00 to $98.00 | 5 |
| Silage chopping | $9.20 per tonrange $7.00 to $12.00 | $7.00 to $12.00 | 10 |
| Filling silage bags | $11.30 per foot of bagrange $9.00 to $15.00 | $9.00 to $15.00 | 8 |
| Earlage or snaplage, chopping | $84.75 per acrerange $65.00 to $100.00 | $65.00 to $100.00 | 8 |
| Miscellaneous Services | |||
| Removing snow (loader) | $114.05 per hourrange $50.00 to $200.00 | $50.00 to $200.00 | 34 |
| Removing snow (blade) | $14.25 per hour per foot of bladerange $12.50 to $16.70 | $12.50 to $16.70 | 7 |
| Removing snow (blower) | $16.95 per hour per foot of blowerrange $4.15 to $27.80 | $4.15 to $27.80 | 13 |
| Tub grinding hay | $273.90 per hourrange $100.00 to $425.00 | $100.00 to $425.00 | 9 |
| Spreading liquid manure, injected | $18.15 per 1,000 gallonsrange $11.00 to $29.00 | $11.00 to $29.00 | 16 |
| Applying liquid manure with drag line | $16.85 per 1,000 gallonsrange $12.50 to $21.00 | $12.50 to $21.00 | 9 |
| Loading, spreading solid manure | $7.20 per tonrange $5.00 to $9.00 | $5.00 to $9.00 | 7 |
| Power washing | $78.85 per hourrange $50.00 to $100.00 | $50.00 to $100.00 | 13 |
| Building fence, barbed (no materials) | $42.70 per hourrange $35.00 to $50.00 | $35.00 to $50.00 | 7 |
| Scouting crops | $6.65 per acrerange $4.00 to $9.50 | $4.00 to $9.50 | 13 |
| GPS grid soil testing | $7.95 per acrerange $3.00 to $12.50 | $3.00 to $12.50 | 18 |
| Managing stored grain | $0.08 per bushelrange $0.03 to $0.12 | $0.03 to $0.12 | 12 |
| Vacuuming grain | $0.12 per bushelrange $0.05 to $0.20 | $0.05 to $0.20 | 29 |
| Livestock hauling with semi-truck | $4.70 per loaded milerange $3.50 to $5.75 | $3.50 to $5.75 | 9 |
| Bulldozing | $17.55 per hour per foot of bladerange $12.00 to $22.50 | $12.00 to $22.50 | 16 |
| Trenching | $1.60 per footrange $1.25 to $2.00 | $1.25 to $2.00 | 5 |
| Tiling, tiling machine (excluding materials) | $1.70 per footrange $1.05 to $2.30 | $1.05 to $2.30 | 7 |
| Tiling, tile plow (excluding materials) | $1.15 per footrange $0.50 to $1.75 | $0.50 to $1.75 | 12 |
| Backhoeing | $129.35 per hourrange $70.00 to $200.00 | $70.00 to $200.00 | 23 |
| Clearing land | $161.65 per hourrange $100.00 to $225.00 | $100.00 to $225.00 | 15 |
| Building ponds | $161.65 per hourrange $125.00 to $210.00 | $125.00 to $210.00 | 6 |
| Chain sawing | $89.15 per hourrange $50.00 to $120.00 | $50.00 to $120.00 | 18 |
| Welding machinery | $83.85 per hourrange $40.00 to $110.00 | $40.00 to $110.00 | 15 |
| Mowing CRP or pasture | $27.05 per acrerange $12.00 to $50.00 | $12.00 to $50.00 | 47 |
| Controlled burning of grass, CRP, pasture | $33.35 per acrerange $20.00 to $60.00 | $20.00 to $60.00 | 25 |
| Mowing fence rows, ditches | $103.20 per hourrange $20.00 to $150.00 | $20.00 to $150.00 | 45 |
| Mowing lawns | $56.65 per hourrange $20.00 to $100.00 | $20.00 to $100.00 | 30 |
| Chopping brush | $105.55 per acrerange $25.00 to $200.00 | $25.00 to $200.00 | 18 |
| Using truck scale | $11.15 per load weighedrange $5.00 to $19.25 | $5.00 to $19.25 | 8 |
| Custom Farming (tillage, planting, pest control, harvesting, hauling to farm, no drying) | |||
| Custom farming, corn | $177.85 per acrerange $74.50 to $375.00 | $74.50 to $375.00 | 64 |
| Custom farming, soybean | $161.70 per acrerange $65.00 to $353.00 | $65.00 to $353.00 | 63 |
| Custom farming, small grain | $186.15 per acrerange $70.00 to $290.00 | $70.00 to $290.00 | 13 |
| Farm Labor Wages for Operating Machinery | |||
| Spraying or harvesting | $24.45 per hourrange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 81 |
| Other operations | $22.95 per hourrange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 105 |
| Bin Rental Rates | |||
| Storing grain, bin rental | $0.03 per bushel a monthrange $0.01 to $0.06 | $0.01 to $0.06 | 22 |
| Storing grain, bin rental | $0.19 per bushel a yearrange $0.10 to $0.45 | $0.10 to $0.45 | 45 |
| Machinery Rental Rates | |||
| Tractor | $0.34 per horsepower-hourrange $0.14 to $0.50 | $0.14 to $0.50 | 18 |
| Corn head for combine | $11.60 per acrerange $5.00 to $20.00 | $5.00 to $20.00 | 11 |
| Soybean head for combine | $13.45 per acrerange $5.00 to $20.00 | $5.00 to $20.00 | 9 |
| Grain cart with auger, corn | $6.70 per acrerange $6.00 to $12.00 | $6.00 to $12.00 | 7 |
| Grain cart with auger, soybean | $5.85 per acrerange $5.00 to $10.00 | $5.00 to $10.00 | 6 |
| Grain truck (semi) | $0.20 per bushel, round triprange $0.18 to $0.22 | $0.18 to $0.22 | 5 |
| Grain auger | $0.08 per bushelrange $0.05 to $0.12 | $0.05 to $0.12 | 7 |
| Grain vacuum | $0.10 per bushelrange $0.07 to $0.13 | $0.07 to $0.13 | 8 |
| Skid loader | $97.50 per hourrange $80.00 to $120.00 | $80.00 to $120.00 | 8 |
| Dry bulk fertilizer applicator | $7.05 per acrerange $5.00 to $9.00 | $5.00 to $9.00 | 8 |
| Anhydrous fertilizer applicator | $9.50 per acrerange $3.00 to $15.00 | $3.00 to $15.00 | 8 |
survey sent to 1,122 people in early February 2026; 205 responses, 4,698 rates; rates expected to be charged or paid in 2026. All rates include fuel, repairs, depreciation, interest, operator labor, and all other machinery costs for the tractor and implement, unless otherwise noted. Diesel assumed at $2.89 a gallon (February 2026). The range leaves out the single lowest and highest answer, as the survey reports it.
Source: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the survey. AGSIST did not set these rates and does not adjust them. Bordering states with a survey here: Missouri (2023), Nebraska (2026), Wisconsin (2024).
Questions
What does custom combining cost in Iowa?
In the 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey (Ag Decision Maker File A3-10, FM 1698, revised March 2026), combining corn averaged $46.05 per acre ($25.00 to $80.00, 119 answers) and combining soybeans averaged $43.05 per acre ($24.00 to $70.00, 94 answers). Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is the custom planting rate in Iowa?
Planting, without attachments: $26.50 per acre in the 2026 survey ($15.00 to $38.00, 69 answers). The survey's other planting lines are in the table above.
What does custom spraying cost in Iowa?
Ground, broadcast, not incorporated, self-propelled: $9.35 per acre in the 2026 survey ($5.00 to $18.00, 121 answers). Chemical is not included.
Who set these rates?
Nobody set them. They are averages of what farmers and custom operators told Iowa State University Extension and Outreach they charged or paid. AGSIST copied them from the survey and links it. Your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is included in a custom rate?
All rates include fuel, repairs, depreciation, interest, operator labor, and all other machinery costs for the tractor and implement, unless otherwise noted. Diesel assumed at $2.89 a gallon (February 2026).
Other states
Indiana · Kansas · Missouri · North Dakota · Nebraska · Ohio · Oklahoma · Wisconsin