North Dakota custom rates, 2024 survey
Sigurd Lindquist, CCA · numbers from North Dakota State University Extension (late season survey run by USDA NASS)
What farmers and custom operators in North Dakota said they charged or paid for custom work, as the 2024 North Dakota Custom Rates, Part I Early Season Operations (August 2024) and Part II Late Season Operations (December 2024) printed it. Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
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| Job | Average | Range | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land tillage | |||
| Plowing (moldboard) | $12.78 per acrerange $10.00 to $17.00 | $10.00 to $17.00 | 6 |
| Heavy disking | $16.92 per acrerange $5.00 to $35.00 | $5.00 to $35.00 | 13 |
| Chisel plowing | $15.03 per acrerange $6.00 to $25.00 | $6.00 to $25.00 | 15 |
| Sub soiling (16-20 inches deep) | $23.00 per acrerange $12.00 to $30.00 | $12.00 to $30.00 | 4 |
| Disk/chisel plowing | $17.55 per acrerange $10.00 to $24.00 | $10.00 to $24.00 | 11 |
| Field cultivation | $12.55 per acrerange $5.00 to $22.00 | $5.00 to $22.00 | 19 |
| One-way disking | $12.80 per acrerange $10.00 to $20.00 | $10.00 to $20.00 | 5 |
| Tandem disking | $15.55 per acrerange $10.00 to $32.00 | $10.00 to $32.00 | 11 |
| Rotary hoe | $9.00 per acrerange $5.00 to $13.00 | $5.00 to $13.00 | 4 |
| Vertical tillage | $15.78 per acrerange $5.00 to $40.00 | $5.00 to $40.00 | 20 |
| Land rolling | $7.32 per acrerange $2.00 to $18.00 | $2.00 to $18.00 | 27 |
| Light harrowing | $9.86 per acrerange $4.00 to $15.00 | $4.00 to $15.00 | 7 |
| Heavy harrowing | $9.67 per acrerange $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | 9 |
| Row crop cultivation | $11.50 per acrerange $9.50 to $15.00 | $9.50 to $15.00 | 4 |
| Small grain seeding | |||
| Regular drilling, with fertilizer | $23.25 per acrerange $3.00 to $40.00 | $3.00 to $40.00 | 24 |
| Drilling and tillage, with fertilizer | $18.33 per acrerange $8.00 to $25.00 | $8.00 to $25.00 | 9 |
| Air seeding, with fertilizer | $22.29 per acrerange $10.00 to $40.00 | $10.00 to $40.00 | 34 |
| No-till drill, with fertilizer | $23.32 per acrerange $12.50 to $40.00 | $12.50 to $40.00 | 17 |
| Regular drilling, without fertilizer | $18.26 per acrerange $3.00 to $30.00 | $3.00 to $30.00 | 23 |
| Drilling and tillage, without fertilizer | $20.57 per acrerange $14.00 to $40.00 | $14.00 to $40.00 | 7 |
| Air seeding, without fertilizer | $17.43 per acrerange $8.00 to $30.00 | $8.00 to $30.00 | 20 |
| No-till drill, without fertilizer | $21.04 per acrerange $10.00 to $30.00 | $10.00 to $30.00 | 26 |
| Row crop planting | |||
| Corn, soybean, sunflower (regular), with fertilizer | $28.83 per acrerange $15.00 to $75.00 | $15.00 to $75.00 | 29 |
| Corn, soybean, sunflower (air seed), with fertilizer | $25.86 per acrerange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 14 |
| Dry edible beans, with fertilizer | $29.25 per acrerange $15.00 to $47.00 | $15.00 to $47.00 | 12 |
| Corn, soybean, sunflower (regular), without fertilizer | $21.02 per acrerange $12.50 to $35.00 | $12.50 to $35.00 | 28 |
| Corn, soybean, sunflower (air seed), without fertilizer | $19.21 per acrerange $12.00 to $25.00 | $12.00 to $25.00 | 14 |
| Dry edible beans, without fertilizer | $19.15 per acrerange $10.00 to $26.00 | $10.00 to $26.00 | 10 |
| No-till corn, soybean, sunflower, with fertilizer | $25.96 per acrerange $18.00 to $40.00 | $18.00 to $40.00 | 23 |
| No-till corn, soybean, sunflower, without fertilizer | $22.73 per acrerange $14.00 to $35.00 | $14.00 to $35.00 | 15 |
| Fertilizer application | |||
| Dry fertilizer, broadcast | $9.22 per acrerange $5.00 to $40.00 | $5.00 to $40.00 | 147 |
| Dry fertilizer, deep banded | $20.15 per acrerange $8.00 to $35.00 | $8.00 to $35.00 | 13 |
| Liquid fertilizer, broadcast | $9.47 per acrerange $4.00 to $20.00 | $4.00 to $20.00 | 23 |
| Liquid fertilizer, side-dressing | $11.25 per acrerange $5.00 to $22.00 | $5.00 to $22.00 | 6 |
| Anhydrous ammonia, with knife applicator | $16.33 per acrerange $8.00 to $26.00 | $8.00 to $26.00 | 9 |
| Anhydrous ammonia, while chiseling | $18.00 per acrerange $8.00 to $28.00 | $8.00 to $28.00 | 9 |
| Pesticide application | |||
| Herbicide, broadcast, liquid (ground) | $9.23 per acrerange $3.00 to $26.50 | $3.00 to $26.50 | 111 |
| Herbicide, broadcast, dry (ground) | $8.22 per acrerange $3.00 to $12.00 | $3.00 to $12.00 | 27 |
| Herbicide, incorporated, liquid (ground) | $8.65 per acrerange $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | 22 |
| Insecticide, broadcast, liquid (ground) | $8.45 per acrerange $4.25 to $12.00 | $4.25 to $12.00 | 46 |
| Fungicide (ground) | $8.68 per acrerange $4.25 to $13.00 | $4.25 to $13.00 | 63 |
| Desiccant (ground) | $8.72 per acrerange $4.00 to $13.00 | $4.00 to $13.00 | 43 |
| Aircraft, 1 gallon | $9.76 per acrerange $4.50 to $15.00 | $4.50 to $15.00 | 29 |
| Aircraft, 2-3 gallons | $9.77 per acrerange $6.00 to $15.00 | $6.00 to $15.00 | 40 |
| Aircraft, 4-5 gallons | $10.00 per acrerange $8.00 to $20.00 | $8.00 to $20.00 | 34 |
| Aircraft, over 5 gallons | $11.25 per acrerange $8.25 to $25.00 | $8.25 to $25.00 | 20 |
| Haying | |||
| Mowing | $13.73 per acrerange $6.00 to $25.00 | $6.00 to $25.00 | 11 |
| Mowing and conditioning | $15.53 per acrerange $6.50 to $25.00 | $6.50 to $25.00 | 16 |
| Swathing | $15.64 per acrerange $7.00 to $25.00 | $7.00 to $25.00 | 11 |
| Raking | $7.29 per acrerange $2.00 to $12.00 | $2.00 to $12.00 | 14 |
| Baling small square bales, 250 lbs or less (wire or twine included) | $3.00 per balerange $1.00 to $9.00 | $1.00 to $9.00 | 6 |
| Baling large square bales, over 250 lbs (wire or twine included) | $12.00 per balerange $8.00 to $15.00 | $8.00 to $15.00 | 4 |
| Baling round bales, 1,500 lbs or less (wire or twine included) | $12.99 per balerange $5.00 to $30.00 | $5.00 to $30.00 | 21 |
| Baling round bales, over 1,500 lbs (wire or twine included) | $15.27 per balerange $5.00 to $60.00 | $5.00 to $60.00 | 13 |
| Other custom work | |||
| Tub grinding hay, self-contained unit | $280.00 per hourrange $100.00 to $500.00 | $100.00 to $500.00 | 8 |
| Skid-steer loader | $104.09 per hourrange $20.00 to $200.00 | $20.00 to $200.00 | 22 |
| Tractor loader | $67.50 per hourrange $20.00 to $125.00 | $20.00 to $125.00 | 6 |
| Custom feeding weaned calves | $2.38 per head a dayrange $2.00 to $3.00 | $2.00 to $3.00 | 4 |
| Harvesting grain crops | |||
| Swathing grain, self-propelled | $16.60 per acrerange $8.00 to $45.00 | $8.00 to $45.00 | 10 |
| Swathing canola, self-propelled | $14.51 per acrerange $10.00 to $18.60 | $10.00 to $18.60 | 7 |
| Combining from swaths, small grains and flaxseed | $36.06 per acrerange $15.00 to $55.00 | $15.00 to $55.00 | 24 |
| Combining from swaths, canola | $44.73 per acrerange $10.00 to $60.00 | $10.00 to $60.00 | 11 |
| Straight combining, small grains and flaxseed | $36.49 per acrerange $13.00 to $60.00 | $13.00 to $60.00 | 72 |
| Straight combining, corn | $43.87 per acrerange $20.00 to $100.00 | $20.00 to $100.00 | 38 |
| Straight combining, sunflower | $37.08 per acrerange $18.00 to $60.00 | $18.00 to $60.00 | 13 |
| Straight combining, soybeans | $36.02 per acrerange $12.50 to $60.00 | $12.50 to $60.00 | 61 |
| Straight combining, dry edible beans | $43.40 per acrerange $15.00 to $60.00 | $15.00 to $60.00 | 15 |
| Straight combining, canola | $38.35 per acrerange $12.75 to $60.00 | $12.75 to $60.00 | 35 |
| Straight combining, pulse crops | $36.00 per acrerange $22.00 to $50.00 | $22.00 to $50.00 | 7 |
| Making corn silage | |||
| Field chopping only | $116.23 per acrerange $12.00 to $200.00 | $12.00 to $200.00 | 13 |
| Field chopping and hauling | $137.46 per acrerange $45.00 to $240.00 | $45.00 to $240.00 | 12 |
| Seed preparation | |||
| Seed grain, cleaning only | $0.884 per gross bushelrange $0.25 to $1.95 | $0.25 to $1.95 | 25 |
| Machine rental | |||
| Tractor, 100-200 horsepower (tachometer hours) | $82.30 per hourrange $22.00 to $150.00 | $22.00 to $150.00 | 10 |
| Tractor, over 200 horsepower (tachometer hours) | $104.56 per hourrange $30.00 to $250.00 | $30.00 to $250.00 | 9 |
| Combine (tachometer hours) | $257.04 per hourrange $125.00 to $400.00 | $125.00 to $400.00 | 10 |
| Drying grain | |||
| Drying small grains (basic charge, average 15.83% maximum moisture) | $0.216 per bushelrange $0.05 to $1.00 | $0.05 to $1.00 | 18 |
| Drying corn (basic charge, average 17.66% maximum moisture) | $0.131 per bushelrange $0.04 to $0.55 | $0.04 to $0.55 | 19 |
| Hauling crops | |||
| Hauling wheat (basic charge, average base mileage 36.91) | $0.261 per bushelrange $0.05 to $0.80 | $0.05 to $0.80 | 27 |
| Hauling corn (basic charge, average base mileage 47.62) | $0.222 per bushelrange $0.03 to $0.48 | $0.03 to $0.48 | 27 |
| Hauling hay | |||
| Hauling hay by the load, 10-20 tons (loaded mile, excludes loading) | $6.14 per milerange $3.00 to $10.00 | $3.00 to $10.00 | 14 |
| Hauling cattle | |||
| Hauling cattle, gooseneck trailer | $6.79 per loaded milerange $2.00 to $30.00 | $2.00 to $30.00 | 21 |
| Hauling cattle, semi trailer | $5.99 per loaded milerange $1.00 to $10.00 | $1.00 to $10.00 | 24 |
Early season: about 1,420 reports, July and August 2024. Late season: about 1,370 reports, October and November 2024. The rates include charges for equipment, power, fuel, and the operator. Exchange work is not custom work for this survey. NDSU advises care with rates from fewer than fifteen reports. The range is the lowest and highest rate reported. Operations NDSU withheld (D) are left out. The early season file NDSU links is named as a draft.
Source: North Dakota State University Extension (late season survey run by USDA NASS), the survey and the second part. AGSIST did not set these rates and does not adjust them. Bordering states with a survey here: none yet.
Questions
What does custom combining cost in North Dakota?
In the 2024 North Dakota Custom Rates, Part I Early Season Operations (August 2024) and Part II Late Season Operations (December 2024), combining corn averaged $43.87 per acre ($20.00 to $100.00, 38 answers) and combining soybeans averaged $36.02 per acre ($12.50 to $60.00, 61 answers). Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is the custom planting rate in North Dakota?
Corn, soybean, sunflower (regular), without fertilizer: $21.02 per acre in the 2024 survey ($12.50 to $35.00, 28 answers). The survey's other planting lines are in the table above.
What does custom spraying cost in North Dakota?
Herbicide, broadcast, liquid (ground): $9.23 per acre in the 2024 survey ($3.00 to $26.50, 111 answers). Chemical is not included.
Who set these rates?
Nobody set them. They are averages of what farmers and custom operators told North Dakota State University Extension (late season survey run by USDA NASS) 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 rates include charges for equipment, power, fuel, and the operator. Exchange work is not custom work for this survey. NDSU advises care with rates from fewer than fifteen reports.
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