Maryland and Delaware custom rates, 2025 survey
Numbers from University of Maryland Extension, with the University of Delaware
What farmers and custom operators in Maryland and Delaware said they charged or paid for custom work, as the Custom Work Charges in Maryland and Delaware (University of Maryland Extension FS-683, updated March 2025), Table 1 printed it. Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
Combine corn, per acre
Combine corn per acre
$40.03 an acre
Maryland and Delaware's 2025 survey, “Combining - Corn”: Answers not printed. Answers ran $30.00 to $52.00.
Middle of 9 state surveys: $41.87 an acre (2024 to 2026 rates); Maryland and Delaware is $1.84 under it. Every state
Search jobs and compare neighbors
| Job | Average | Range | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom work charges | |||
| Stalk Cutting/Chopping | $27.84 per acremedian $20.00range $15.00 to $60.00 | $15.00 to $60.00 | not printed |
| Plowing-Chisel | $25.55 per acremedian $23.55range $17.50 to $60.00 | $17.50 to $60.00 | not printed |
| Plowing-Moldboard | $32.17 per acremedian $26.50range $20.00 to $60.00 | $20.00 to $60.00 | not printed |
| Disking-Heavy | $26.64 per acremedian $22.50range $18.15 to $60.00 | $18.15 to $60.00 | not printed |
| Disking With Cultipacker/Rolling Baskets | $25.56 per acremedian $22.00range $18.00 to $60.00 | $18.00 to $60.00 | not printed |
| Cultivating | $14.75 per acremedian $15.00range $12.00 to $18.00 | $12.00 to $18.00 | not printed |
| Cultipacking | $8.67 per acremedian $6.00range $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | not printed |
| Sub-soiling (Ripping) | $30.30 per acremedian $26.50range $20.00 to $50.00 | $20.00 to $50.00 | not printed |
| Soil Finishing (Field Cultivator) | $25.67 per acremedian $20.00range $16.00 to $65.00 | $16.00 to $65.00 | not printed |
| Vertical Tillage | $19.50 per acremedian $19.00range $12.00 to $28.00 | $12.00 to $28.00 | not printed |
| Strip Till | $27.83 per acremedian $20.00range $20.00 to $45.00 | $20.00 to $45.00 | not printed |
| Corn Planting-Conventional w/ Fertilizer | $29.38 per acremedian $25.00range $20.00 to $75.00 | $20.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Corn Planting-Conventional w/o Fertilizer | $27.23 per acremedian $22.00range $18.00 to $75.00 | $18.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Corn Planting- No-Till w/ Fertilizer | $27.76 per acremedian $24.00range $16.00 to $75.00 | $16.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Corn Planting- No-Till w/o Fertilizer | $27.57 per acremedian $22.50range $15.00 to $75.00 | $15.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Soybean Planting-Conventional | $29.13 per acremedian $23.50range $17.50 to $75.00 | $17.50 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Soybean Planting-No-Till | $27.10 per acremedian $25.00range $16.00 to $75.00 | $16.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Drilling-Small Grain | $26.05 per acremedian $24.00range $11.00 to $75.00 | $11.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Seeding-Grass Drilling/No-Till | $31.85 per acremedian $26.15range $15.00 to $50.00 | $15.00 to $50.00 | not printed |
| Seeding-Grass Broadcast | $24.19 per acremedian $20.00range $12.00 to $55.00 | $12.00 to $55.00 | not printed |
| Seeding-Small Grain Broadcast | $12.60 per acremedian $12.00range $8.00 to $20.00 | $8.00 to $20.00 | not printed |
| Seeding-Aerial | $17.11 per acremedian $15.00range $12.00 to $28.00 | $12.00 to $28.00 | not printed |
| Fertilizer Application-Dry | $11.72 per acremedian $11.00range $8.50 to $20.00 | $8.50 to $20.00 | not printed |
| Fertilizer Application-Liquid | $13.21 per acremedian $12.00range $7.50 to $19.00 | $7.50 to $19.00 | not printed |
| Fertilizer Application-Side Dress | $13.78 per acremedian $13.00range $10.00 to $20.00 | $10.00 to $20.00 | not printed |
| Lime-Includes Lime, Application | $43.41 per tonmedian $48.70range $8.50 to $75.00 | $8.50 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Manure Loading | $6.58 per tonmedian $4.00range $2.00 to $20.00 | $2.00 to $20.00 | not printed |
| Manure Spreading-Liquid | $0.06 per gallonmedian $0.06range $0.05 to $0.06 | $0.05 to $0.06 | not printed |
| Manure Spreading-Solid | $14.10 per tonmedian $15.00range $5.50 to $25.00 | $5.50 to $25.00 | not printed |
| Manure Spreading-Litter | $12.49 per tonmedian $11.50range $2.50 to $25.00 | $2.50 to $25.00 | not printed |
| Manure Hauling | $8.85 per tonmedian $7.00range $4.00 to $18.80 | $4.00 to $18.80 | not printed |
| Spraying-Pesticide Ground | $14.01 per acremedian $12.00range $7.00 to $50.00 | $7.00 to $50.00 | not printed |
| Spraying-Pesticide Aerial | $14.36 per acremedian $12.50range $10.00 to $28.00 | $10.00 to $28.00 | not printed |
| Mowing Hay | $15.98 per acremedian $16.00range $5.00 to $28.00 | $5.00 to $28.00 | not printed |
| Mowing and Conditioning Hay | $21.00 per acremedian $23.00range $5.00 to $35.00 | $5.00 to $35.00 | not printed |
| Raking Hay | $12.20 per acremedian $12.00range $5.00 to $20.00 | $5.00 to $20.00 | not printed |
| Bailing-Small Squares | $1.70 per balemedian $1.35range $1.00 to $5.00 | $1.00 to $5.00 | not printed |
| Bailing- Large Square Bales | $12.21 per balemedian $10.00range $5.00 to $20.00 | $5.00 to $20.00 | not printed |
| Bailing-large Round | $15.01 per balemedian $15.00range $5.00 to $25.00 | $5.00 to $25.00 | not printed |
| Mow, Rake, Bale Hay - No Haul | $19.66 per balemedian $20.00range $5.00 to $37.00 | $5.00 to $37.00 | not printed |
| Round Bale Wrapping | $13.00 per balemedian $12.00range $10.00 to $18.00 | $10.00 to $18.00 | not printed |
| Field Chop, Haul, and Fill Silo | $10.00 per tonmedian $10.00range $10.00 to $10.00 | $10.00 to $10.00 | not printed |
| Combining - Corn | $40.03 per acremedian $40.00range $30.00 to $52.00 | $30.00 to $52.00 | not printed |
| Combining - Soybeans | $39.63 per acremedian $40.00range $30.00 to $55.00 | $30.00 to $55.00 | not printed |
| Combining - Small Grains | $39.55 per acremedian $40.00range $30.00 to $50.00 | $30.00 to $50.00 | not printed |
| Custom Farming Corn | $170.00 per acremedian $170.00range $170.00 to $170.00 | $170.00 to $170.00 | not printed |
| Custom Farming Soybean | $100.00 per acremedian $100.00range $100.00 to $100.00 | $100.00 to $100.00 | not printed |
| Custom Farming Small Grains | $125.00 per acremedian $125.00range $125.00 to $125.00 | $125.00 to $125.00 | not printed |
| Hauling Grain - Local | $0.19 per bushelmedian $0.20range $0.10 to $0.35 | $0.10 to $0.35 | not printed |
| Hauling Grain - Long Distance | $0.39 per bushelmedian $0.40range $0.18 to $0.60 | $0.18 to $0.60 | not printed |
| Storing Grains | $0.07 per bushel a monthmedian $0.08range $0.03 to $0.12 | $0.03 to $0.12 | not printed |
| Drying Grains | $0.07 per point of moisturemedian $0.07range $0.03 to $0.12 | $0.03 to $0.12 | not printed |
| Grinding Feed | $0.95 per cwtmedian $0.95range $0.40 to $1.50 | $0.40 to $1.50 | not printed |
| Mixing Feed | $2.00 per cwtmedian $2.00range $2.00 to $2.00 | $2.00 to $2.00 | not printed |
| Grinding and Mixing Feed | $2.13 per cwtmedian $2.13range $0.75 to $3.50 | $0.75 to $3.50 | not printed |
| Soil Testing | $19.25 per samplemedian $15.00range $8.00 to $40.00 | $8.00 to $40.00 | not printed |
| Nutrient Management Planning | $8.10 per acremedian $3.00range $2.00 to $30.00 | $2.00 to $30.00 | not printed |
| General Farm Labor | $20.37 per hourmedian $20.00range $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | not printed |
| Skilled Farm Labor | $30.73 per hourmedian $25.00range $15.00 to $90.00 | $15.00 to $90.00 | not printed |
| Machinery Repair | $103.34 per hourmedian $100.00range $49.40 to $200.00 | $49.40 to $200.00 | not printed |
| Machinery Operation | $34.73 per hourmedian $30.00range $25.00 to $75.00 | $25.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Backhoe Rental | $118.75 per hourmedian $125.00range $75.00 to $150.00 | $75.00 to $150.00 | not printed |
| Bobcat Rental | $95.57 per hourmedian $87.50range $44.59 to $150.00 | $44.59 to $150.00 | not printed |
| Bulldozer Rental | $120.00 per hourmedian $100.00range $100.00 to $160.00 | $100.00 to $160.00 | not printed |
| Bush Hogging | $84.30 per hourmedian $60.00range $17.50 to $150.00 | $17.50 to $150.00 | not printed |
| Excavator Rental | $100.22 per hourmedian $100.00range $50.00 to $160.00 | $50.00 to $160.00 | not printed |
| Tractor Rental- <80 HP | $40.13 per hourmedian $32.40range $23.00 to $65.00 | $23.00 to $65.00 | not printed |
| Tractor Rental- 80-120 HP | $54.50 per hourmedian $54.50range $34.00 to $75.00 | $34.00 to $75.00 | not printed |
| Tractor Rental 120-160 HP | $57.63 per hourmedian $47.90range $45.00 to $80.00 | $45.00 to $80.00 | not printed |
| Tractor Rental >160 HP | $74.08 per hourmedian $69.65range $57.00 to $100.00 | $57.00 to $100.00 | not printed |
| Posthole Digging | $4.67 per holemedian $5.00range $4.00 to $5.00 | $4.00 to $5.00 | not printed |
| Post Driving | $7.25 per holemedian $7.25range $2.50 to $12.00 | $2.50 to $12.00 | not printed |
| Snow Removal | $138.72 per hourmedian $125.00range $50.00 to $250.00 | $50.00 to $250.00 | not printed |
| Trenching | $4.25 per footmedian $4.00range $4.00 to $5.00 | $4.00 to $5.00 | not printed |
| Clearing Land | $187.50 per hourmedian $175.00range $150.00 to $250.00 | $150.00 to $250.00 | not printed |
| Mowing CRP Acres | $26.42 per acremedian $25.00range $13.50 to $50.00 | $13.50 to $50.00 | not printed |
| Mowing | $45.65 per acremedian $27.50range $13.50 to $200.00 | $13.50 to $200.00 | not printed |
| Tree Planting | $47.50 per plantmedian $47.50range $3.00 to $92.00 | $3.00 to $92.00 | not printed |
| Vegetative Buffer Planting | $67.50 per acremedian $67.50range $35.00 to $100.00 | $35.00 to $100.00 | not printed |
| Livestock Hauling w/ Trailer | $3.37 per loaded milemedian $3.50range $2.60 to $4.00 | $2.60 to $4.00 | not printed |
| Honey Bee Hive Rental | $80.00 per hivemedian $80.00range $60.00 to $100.00 | $60.00 to $100.00 | not printed |
Mail and online survey in the fall of 2024; 61 custom operators and farmers gave the rates they charge. Reported rates include charges for machines, power, fuel, lube and the labor/operator. They do not include chemicals, seed or other materials, except hay baling materials and where noted (spreading lime includes the lime). The range is the lowest and highest answer. The guide prints the average and the median but not how many answered each job; a job whose lowest, highest, median and average are all one number may rest on a single answer, so it is shown but never lined up with other states. The bed forming and plastic laying line names no unit and is left out.
Source: University of Maryland Extension, with the University of Delaware, Custom Work Charges in Maryland and Delaware (University of Maryland Extension FS-683, updated March 2025), Table 1 (2025 survey). AGSIST did not set these rates and does not adjust them. Bordering states with a survey here: Pennsylvania (2022).
Questions
What does custom combining cost in Maryland and Delaware?
In the Custom Work Charges in Maryland and Delaware (University of Maryland Extension FS-683, updated March 2025), Table 1, combining corn averaged $40.03 per acre (answers ran $30.00 to $52.00, answers not printed) and combining soybeans averaged $39.63 per acre (answers ran $30.00 to $55.00, answers not printed). Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is the custom planting rate in Maryland and Delaware?
Corn Planting-Conventional w/o Fertilizer: $27.23 per acre in the 2025 survey (answers ran $18.00 to $75.00, answers not printed). The survey's other planting lines are in the table above.
What does custom spraying cost in Maryland and Delaware?
Spraying-Pesticide Ground: $14.01 per acre in the 2025 survey (answers ran $7.00 to $50.00, answers not printed). Chemical is not included.
Who set these rates?
Nobody set them. They are averages of what farmers and custom operators told University of Maryland Extension, with the University of Delaware they charged or paid. AGSIST copied them from the survey and names it. Your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is included in a custom rate?
Reported rates include charges for machines, power, fuel, lube and the labor/operator. They do not include chemicals, seed or other materials, except hay baling materials and where noted (spreading lime includes the lime).
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