Kansas custom rates, 2026 survey
Sigurd Lindquist, CCA · numbers from Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas State University Land Use Survey Office
What farmers and custom operators in Kansas said they charged or paid for custom work, as the Kansas Custom Rates 2026 (Rates Paid by Kansas Farmers for Custom Work) printed it. Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
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| Job | Average | Range | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grain harvesting | |||
| Wheat, base rate (plus $0.303 a bushel above 26 bushels an acre) | $30.91 per acrerange $20.00 to $42.00 | $20.00 to $42.00 | 138 |
| Wheat, extra charge for high yield (above 26 bushels an acre) | $0.303 per bushel | not printed | 132 |
| Wheat, flat rate | $34.37 per acrerange $22.00 to $51.00 | $22.00 to $51.00 | 52 |
| Grain sorghum, base rate (plus $0.297 a bushel above 42 bushels an acre) | $31.98 per acrerange $21.00 to $45.00 | $21.00 to $45.00 | 102 |
| Grain sorghum, flat rate | $38.62 per acrerange $24.00 to $55.00 | $24.00 to $55.00 | 45 |
| Corn, base rate (plus $0.279 a bushel above 69 bushels an acre) | $35.27 per acrerange $21.00 to $55.00 | $21.00 to $55.00 | 80 |
| Corn, base rate | $0.468 per bushelrange $0.36 to $0.65 | $0.36 to $0.65 | 24 |
| Corn, flat rate | $41.87 per acrerange $18.00 to $58.00 | $18.00 to $58.00 | 82 |
| Soybeans, base rate (plus $0.301 a bushel above 29 bushels an acre) | $38.04 per acrerange $25.00 to $57.00 | $25.00 to $57.00 | 63 |
| Soybeans, flat rate | $38.67 per acrerange $18.00 to $55.00 | $18.00 to $55.00 | 79 |
| Sunflower, base rate | $39.33 per acrerange $26.00 to $50.00 | $26.00 to $50.00 | 15 |
| Canola, base rate | $32.22 per acrerange $32.00 to $33.00 | $32.00 to $33.00 | 9 |
| Grain hauling | |||
| Hauling wheat, field to farm storage or elevator (17 mile limit; $0.051 a bushel a mile beyond) | $0.28 per bushel | not printed | 117 |
| Hauling grain sorghum (17 mile limit; $0.048 a bushel a mile beyond) | $0.291 per bushel | not printed | 91 |
| Hauling corn, field to farm storage or elevator (16 mile limit; $0.055 a bushel a mile beyond) | $0.239 per bushel | not printed | 117 |
| Hauling soybeans (18 mile limit; $0.056 a bushel a mile beyond) | $0.242 per bushel | not printed | 82 |
| Silage | |||
| Chopping, hauling and filling the silo | $14.44 per tonrange $11.50 to $17.00 | $11.50 to $17.00 | 24 |
| Chopping and hauling | $11.62 per tonrange $9.75 to $13.00 | $9.75 to $13.00 | 25 |
| Chopping only | $9.48 per tonrange $6.00 to $11.00 | $6.00 to $11.00 | 21 |
| Hauling only | $1.93 per tonrange $0.30 to $4.25 | $0.30 to $4.25 | 23 |
| Haying | |||
| Mowing or swathing hay | $17.71 per acrerange $10.00 to $25.00 | $10.00 to $25.00 | 49 |
| Mowing or swathing forage | $17.47 per acrerange $10.00 to $25.00 | $10.00 to $25.00 | 30 |
| Swathing and conditioning | $17.93 per acrerange $8.00 to $25.00 | $8.00 to $25.00 | 46 |
| Side raking | $6.74 per acrerange $4.00 to $18.00 | $4.00 to $18.00 | 44 |
| Baling small square bales with wire | $1.85 per balerange $1.00 to $2.75 | $1.00 to $2.75 | 10 |
| Baling small square bales with twine | $2.56 per balerange $1.00 to $5.00 | $1.00 to $5.00 | 9 |
| Baling large round bales under 1,500 pounds, without net | $17.50 per balerange $14.00 to $20.00 | $14.00 to $20.00 | 4 |
| Baling large round bales under 1,500 pounds, with net | $16.06 per balerange $12.00 to $20.00 | $12.00 to $20.00 | 51 |
| Baling large round bales over 1,500 pounds, without net | $18.50 per balerange $17.00 to $20.00 | $17.00 to $20.00 | 4 |
| Baling large round bales over 1,500 pounds, with net | $18.96 per balerange $14.00 to $25.00 | $14.00 to $25.00 | 54 |
| Hauling large round bales, field to storage | $5.64 per balerange $5.00 to $10.00 | $5.00 to $10.00 | 28 |
| Land tillage | |||
| Disking (including one-way disking) | $18.50 per acrerange $11.00 to $27.00 | $11.00 to $27.00 | 51 |
| Tandem disking | $19.60 per acrerange $13.00 to $28.00 | $13.00 to $28.00 | 36 |
| Chisel (4-12 inches) | $21.52 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 31 |
| Deep chisel (over 12 inches) | $25.41 per acrerange $20.00 to $32.00 | $20.00 to $32.00 | 22 |
| Strip tillage | $26.28 per acrerange $15.00 to $42.00 | $15.00 to $42.00 | 53 |
| Deep strip tillage (over 6 inches) | $27.07 per acrerange $12.00 to $34.00 | $12.00 to $34.00 | 22 |
| Vertical tillage, high speed, shallow (2-4 inches) | $20.76 per acrerange $9.50 to $28.00 | $9.50 to $28.00 | 65 |
| Subsoiler/in-line ripper (about 30 hp per shank) | $27.40 per acrerange $15.00 to $35.00 | $15.00 to $35.00 | 35 |
| Field cultivator (5 hp per linear foot) | $17.88 per acrerange $11.00 to $30.00 | $11.00 to $30.00 | 38 |
| Undercutter, shallow | $17.93 per acrerange $10.00 to $25.00 | $10.00 to $25.00 | 34 |
| Undercutter, large V blade | $16.59 per acrerange $7.25 to $25.00 | $7.25 to $25.00 | 53 |
| Planting, regular till, no fertilizer or chemical | |||
| Small grain drilling | $19.91 per acrerange $10.00 to $28.00 | $10.00 to $28.00 | 51 |
| Grain sorghum, row planting | $21.27 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 26 |
| Corn, row planting | $22.64 per acrerange $10.00 to $35.00 | $10.00 to $35.00 | 48 |
| Soybeans, row planting | $24.71 per acrerange $16.00 to $35.00 | $16.00 to $35.00 | 35 |
| Soybeans, drilling | $23.06 per acrerange $16.00 to $28.00 | $16.00 to $28.00 | 18 |
| Soybeans, twin row planting | $23.80 per acrerange $18.00 to $35.00 | $18.00 to $35.00 | 10 |
| Planting, regular till, with fertilizer | |||
| Small grain drilling | $23.39 per acrerange $10.00 to $33.00 | $10.00 to $33.00 | 49 |
| Grain sorghum, row planting | $24.08 per acrerange $15.00 to $34.00 | $15.00 to $34.00 | 36 |
| Corn, row planting | $25.53 per acrerange $15.00 to $36.00 | $15.00 to $36.00 | 57 |
| Soybeans, row planting | $26.65 per acrerange $16.00 to $37.00 | $16.00 to $37.00 | 34 |
| Soybeans, drilling | $25.11 per acrerange $16.00 to $34.00 | $16.00 to $34.00 | 27 |
| Planting, minimum or no-till, no fertilizer or chemical | |||
| Small grain drilling | $21.34 per acrerange $14.00 to $30.00 | $14.00 to $30.00 | 80 |
| Grain sorghum, row planting | $23.10 per acrerange $16.00 to $30.00 | $16.00 to $30.00 | 49 |
| Corn, row planting | $24.07 per acrerange $16.00 to $35.00 | $16.00 to $35.00 | 81 |
| Soybeans, row planting | $24.56 per acrerange $16.00 to $35.00 | $16.00 to $35.00 | 55 |
| Soybeans, drilling | $23.15 per acrerange $16.00 to $30.00 | $16.00 to $30.00 | 27 |
| Planting, minimum or no-till, with fertilizer | |||
| Small grain drilling | $23.04 per acrerange $13.00 to $36.00 | $13.00 to $36.00 | 83 |
| Grain sorghum, row planting | $23.60 per acrerange $13.00 to $32.00 | $13.00 to $32.00 | 68 |
| Corn, row planting | $25.18 per acrerange $13.00 to $35.00 | $13.00 to $35.00 | 84 |
| Soybeans, row planting | $25.54 per acrerange $13.00 to $36.00 | $13.00 to $36.00 | 47 |
| Soybeans, drilling | $24.71 per acrerange $13.00 to $32.00 | $13.00 to $32.00 | 38 |
| Planting, other | |||
| Grass seeding | $21.19 per acrerange $15.00 to $35.00 | $15.00 to $35.00 | 21 |
| Alfalfa-legume seeding | $21.88 per acrerange $17.00 to $28.50 | $17.00 to $28.50 | 26 |
| Cover crop drilling, regular till | $20.04 per acrerange $5.00 to $28.00 | $5.00 to $28.00 | 27 |
| Cover crop drilling, minimum or no-till | $22.51 per acrerange $16.00 to $30.00 | $16.00 to $30.00 | 49 |
| Chemical application | |||
| Row crop cultivation with fertilizer application | $16.93 per acrerange $8.50 to $32.00 | $8.50 to $32.00 | 14 |
| Row crop cultivation without fertilizer application | $16.05 per acrerange $7.50 to $30.00 | $7.50 to $30.00 | 19 |
| Dry fertilizer application | $8.40 per acrerange $5.50 to $15.00 | $5.50 to $15.00 | 131 |
| Liquid fertilizer application | $8.28 per acrerange $3.00 to $24.00 | $3.00 to $24.00 | 137 |
| Anhydrous ammonia application | $21.51 per acrerange $6.50 to $32.00 | $6.50 to $32.00 | 82 |
| Herbicide, aerial | $10.11 per acrerange $7.50 to $16.00 | $7.50 to $16.00 | 44 |
| Herbicide, ground rig | $8.57 per acrerange $5.00 to $18.00 | $5.00 to $18.00 | 196 |
| Insecticide/fungicide, aerial | $10.23 per acrerange $7.00 to $13.50 | $7.00 to $13.50 | 48 |
| Insecticide/fungicide, ground rig | $8.74 per acrerange $5.00 to $20.00 | $5.00 to $20.00 | 136 |
| Machine rental | |||
| Combine | $247.50 per hourrange $100.00 to $875.00 | $100.00 to $875.00 | 8 |
| Skid loader | $95.56 per hourrange $80.00 to $120.00 | $80.00 to $120.00 | 9 |
| Corn header | $11.22 per acrerange $8.00 to $20.00 | $8.00 to $20.00 | 9 |
| No till drill | $17.20 per acrerange $10.00 to $22.00 | $10.00 to $22.00 | 5 |
| Tractor, 250+ hp | $203.43 per hourrange $80.00 to $260.00 | $80.00 to $260.00 | 7 |
| Livestock hauling | |||
| Belly semi truck, one-way load charge | $4.88 per milerange $4.00 to $5.50 | $4.00 to $5.50 | 8 |
| Flat cattle truck, one-way load charge | $5.22 per milerange $1.60 to $6.00 | $1.60 to $6.00 | 21 |
| Terracing and dozing | |||
| Terracing | $1.85 per footrange $1.10 to $2.50 | $1.10 to $2.50 | 11 |
| Dozing | $202.86 per hourrange $150.00 to $275.00 | $150.00 to $275.00 | 21 |
Online survey of Kansas custom operators; the report covers custom work during 2025-2026. The prices include charges for machinery, power, fuel, and the operator. They do not include chemicals, seeds, and other materials unless specified; hay baling materials are the one exception. KDA and K-State say the prices should not be regarded as official or established rates. Rows are the report's STATE lines (district tables are in the report). The range is the lowest and highest rate reported. The report's table for hauling round bales by the ton disagrees with its own text (which calls it per hour), so that line is left out.
Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas State University Land Use Survey Office, the survey. AGSIST did not set these rates and does not adjust them. Bordering states with a survey here: Missouri (2023), Nebraska (2026), Oklahoma (2021).
Questions
What does custom combining cost in Kansas?
In the Kansas Custom Rates 2026 (Rates Paid by Kansas Farmers for Custom Work), combining corn averaged $41.87 per acre ($18.00 to $58.00, 82 answers) and combining soybeans averaged $38.67 per acre ($18.00 to $55.00, 79 answers). Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is the custom planting rate in Kansas?
Corn, row planting: $22.64 per acre in the 2026 survey ($10.00 to $35.00, 48 answers). The survey's other planting lines are in the table above.
What does custom spraying cost in Kansas?
Herbicide, ground rig: $8.57 per acre in the 2026 survey ($5.00 to $18.00, 196 answers). Chemical is not included.
Who set these rates?
Nobody set them. They are averages of what farmers and custom operators told Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas State University Land Use Survey Office 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?
The prices include charges for machinery, power, fuel, and the operator. They do not include chemicals, seeds, and other materials unless specified; hay baling materials are the one exception. KDA and K-State say the prices should not be regarded as official or established rates.
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