Missouri custom rates, 2023 survey
Sigurd Lindquist, CCA · numbers from University of Missouri Extension
What farmers and custom operators in Missouri said they charged or paid for custom work, as the Custom Rates for Farm Services in Missouri (MU Extension guide G302, revised April 2023) printed it. Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
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| Job | Average | Range | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field work | |||
| Chisel plow | $27.10 per acrerange $18.00 to $35.00 | $18.00 to $35.00 | 5 |
| Heavy or offset disking | $21.36 per acrerange $15.00 to $30.00 | $15.00 to $30.00 | 7 |
| Tandem disk | $23.81 per acrerange $10.00 to $40.00 | $10.00 to $40.00 | 8 |
| Vertical tillage tool | $19.75 per acrerange $11.00 to $30.00 | $11.00 to $30.00 | 10 |
| Field cultivator | $19.05 per acrerange $8.00 to $28.00 | $8.00 to $28.00 | 10 |
| Cut brush (brush hog) | $97.86 per hourrange $55.00 to $150.00 | $55.00 to $150.00 | 7 |
| Mow pasture or CRP land | $95.71 per hourrange $75.00 to $150.00 | $75.00 to $150.00 | 7 |
| Planting, conventional | |||
| Corn or grain sorghum, plant in 30-inch rows | $24.17 per acrerange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 15 |
| Corn or grain sorghum, plant in narrow rows | $28.50 per acrerange $15.00 to $45.00 | $15.00 to $45.00 | 9 |
| Soybean, plant in 30-inch rows | $25.31 per acrerange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 8 |
| Soybean, plant in 15-inch rows | $26.04 per acrerange $15.00 to $50.00 | $15.00 to $50.00 | 14 |
| Soybean, drill | $22.33 per acrerange $15.00 to $35.00 | $15.00 to $35.00 | 9 |
| Small grains or forage crops, drill | $24.77 per acrerange $15.00 to $35.00 | $15.00 to $35.00 | 13 |
| Planting, no-till | |||
| Corn or grain sorghum, plant in 30-inch rows | $24.81 per acrerange $14.00 to $45.00 | $14.00 to $45.00 | 16 |
| Corn or grain sorghum, plant in narrow rows | $29.07 per acrerange $15.00 to $45.00 | $15.00 to $45.00 | 7 |
| Soybean, plant in 30-inch rows | $27.89 per acrerange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 9 |
| Soybean, plant in 15-inch rows | $25.72 per acrerange $14.00 to $45.00 | $14.00 to $45.00 | 16 |
| Small grains or forage crops, drill | $21.00 per acrerange $12.00 to $35.00 | $12.00 to $35.00 | 11 |
| Additional charge for variable rate | $3.00 per acrerange $1.00 to $5.00 | $1.00 to $5.00 | 9 |
| Fertilizer and chemical application | |||
| Dry fertilizer on cropland, single spread | $7.02 per acrerange $4.25 to $9.50 | $4.25 to $9.50 | 29 |
| Dry fertilizer on cropland, double spread | $10.06 per acrerange $5.50 to $14.00 | $5.50 to $14.00 | 18 |
| Dry fertilizer on cropland, variable rate | $9.93 per acrerange $7.00 to $14.00 | $7.00 to $14.00 | 21 |
| Dry fertilizer on pasture (topdressing) | $7.25 per acrerange $4.25 to $9.50 | $4.25 to $9.50 | 24 |
| Spray liquid fertilizer | $7.84 per acrerange $6.50 to $10.00 | $6.50 to $10.00 | 11 |
| Inject anhydrous ammonia | $18.53 per acrerange $12.00 to $30.00 | $12.00 to $30.00 | 16 |
| Lime, deliver and spread, including lime | $27.50 per tonrange $22.00 to $35.00 | $22.00 to $35.00 | 10 |
| Lime, spread only | $8.44 per acrerange $5.00 to $11.00 | $5.00 to $11.00 | 12 |
| Spray with self-propelled crop sprayer | $7.71 per acrerange $5.00 to $10.00 | $5.00 to $10.00 | 28 |
| Spray with floater | $7.84 per acrerange $5.00 to $10.00 | $5.00 to $10.00 | 8 |
| Spray with pull-type sprayer | $6.75 per acrerange $5.00 to $7.50 | $5.00 to $7.50 | 4 |
| Harvesting and hauling | |||
| Combining corn | $43.29 per acrerange $30.00 to $60.00 | $30.00 to $60.00 | 17 |
| Combining soybean | $39.42 per acrerange $28.00 to $60.00 | $28.00 to $60.00 | 19 |
| Combining small grains | $41.13 per acrerange $35.00 to $50.00 | $35.00 to $50.00 | 8 |
| Grain cart, in field | $9.80 per acrerange $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | 5 |
| Hauling grain, field to farm storage with farm vehicle or wagon | $0.16 per bushelrange $0.05 to $0.26 | $0.05 to $0.26 | 13 |
| Hauling grain, bin to market with large grain truck over 20 miles | $0.29 per bushelrange $0.20 to $0.38 | $0.20 to $0.38 | 9 |
| Hay | |||
| Cutting and conditioning | $19.00 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 7 |
| Raking hay | $9.25 per acrerange $5.00 to $20.00 | $5.00 to $20.00 | 8 |
| Round bale only with net wrap | $17.44 per balerange $8.00 to $25.00 | $8.00 to $25.00 | 18 |
| Cut, rake, and bale with net wrap | $29.86 per balerange $18.00 to $45.00 | $18.00 to $45.00 | 25 |
| Tube wrap round bales, with wrap | $10.00 per balerange $5.00 to $12.00 | $5.00 to $12.00 | 7 |
| Moving round bales on farm or locally | $6.50 per balerange $3.50 to $10.00 | $3.50 to $10.00 | 7 |
| Earth moving | |||
| Bulldozer, under 150 hp | $145.00 per hourrange $120.00 to $165.00 | $120.00 to $165.00 | 8 |
| Bulldozer, over 150 hp | $196.00 per hourrange $150.00 to $250.00 | $150.00 to $250.00 | 15 |
| Track hoe/excavator, medium and large | $173.67 per hourrange $110.00 to $230.00 | $110.00 to $230.00 | 15 |
| Back hoe | $125.83 per hourrange $80.00 to $175.00 | $80.00 to $175.00 | 6 |
| Skid loader | $108.57 per hourrange $65.00 to $150.00 | $65.00 to $150.00 | 21 |
| Pond and lake construction | $235.00 per hourrange $150.00 to $400.00 | $150.00 to $400.00 | 10 |
| Land clearing, cut brush and trees, pile on site | $173.75 per hourrange $55.00 to $400.00 | $55.00 to $400.00 | 16 |
| Building terraces, conventional gradient | $183.33 per hourrange $130.00 to $235.00 | $130.00 to $235.00 | 15 |
| Grade and shape grass waterways | $191.67 per hourrange $130.00 to $235.00 | $130.00 to $235.00 | 12 |
Statewide survey online and through MU Extension specialists in spring 2023, of rates charged or paid in 2022. Custom rates cover the cost of machinery, fuel, labor and, occasionally, a product such as lime or bale wrap. Rates exclude the cost of materials being applied. The range is the lowest and highest answer. MU revised G302 in March 2026 from a fall 2025 to winter 2026 survey of 2025 rates; that PDF would not open from here, so this table is the April 2023 guide (2022 rates) until it can be read. The 2026 guide is linked from the MU Extension G302 page.
Source: University of Missouri Extension, the survey. AGSIST did not set these rates and does not adjust them. Bordering states with a survey here: Iowa (2026), Kansas (2026), Nebraska (2026), Oklahoma (2021).
Questions
What does custom combining cost in Missouri?
In the Custom Rates for Farm Services in Missouri (MU Extension guide G302, revised April 2023), combining corn averaged $43.29 per acre ($30.00 to $60.00, 17 answers) and combining soybeans averaged $39.42 per acre ($28.00 to $60.00, 19 answers). Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is the custom planting rate in Missouri?
Corn or grain sorghum, plant in 30-inch rows: $24.17 per acre in the 2023 survey ($15.00 to $40.00, 15 answers). The survey's other planting lines are in the table above.
What does custom spraying cost in Missouri?
Spray with self-propelled crop sprayer: $7.71 per acre in the 2023 survey ($5.00 to $10.00, 28 answers). Chemical is not included.
Who set these rates?
Nobody set them. They are averages of what farmers and custom operators told University of Missouri Extension 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?
Custom rates cover the cost of machinery, fuel, labor and, occasionally, a product such as lime or bale wrap. Rates exclude the cost of materials being applied.
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