Ohio custom rates, 2024 survey
Sigurd Lindquist, CCA · numbers from Ohio State University Extension
What farmers and custom operators in Ohio said they charged or paid for custom work, as the Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2024 (Ward, Richer, Barker and Bennett) printed it. Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
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| Job | Average | Range | Answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil preparation | |||
| Stalk chopper | $17.33 per acrerange $13.00 to $30.00 | $13.00 to $30.00 | 9 |
| Moldboard plow | $26.80 per acrerange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 10 |
| Chisel plow | $25.28 per acrerange $6.00 to $50.00 | $6.00 to $50.00 | 22 |
| Disk chisel | $22.71 per acrerange $6.00 to $50.00 | $6.00 to $50.00 | 28 |
| Disk, tandem | $20.13 per acrerange $6.00 to $35.00 | $6.00 to $35.00 | 15 |
| Disk, high speed | $27.05 per acrerange $13.75 to $45.00 | $13.75 to $45.00 | 14 |
| Soil finishing | $19.88 per acrerange $12.00 to $39.00 | $12.00 to $39.00 | 28 |
| Field cultivator | $21.61 per acrerange $6.00 to $50.00 | $6.00 to $50.00 | 26 |
| Subsoiling, 8-15 inches deep | $31.11 per acrerange $20.00 to $60.00 | $20.00 to $60.00 | 18 |
| V-ripping, over 15 inches deep | $27.36 per acrerange $20.00 to $35.00 | $20.00 to $35.00 | 7 |
| Strip tillage | $28.28 per acrerange $21.00 to $38.00 | $21.00 to $38.00 | 9 |
| Strip tillage with fertilizer injection | $34.00 per acrerange $25.00 to $40.00 | $25.00 to $40.00 | 8 |
| Fertilizer application, ground | |||
| Dry bulk, fixed rate | $8.73 per acrerange $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | 56 |
| Variable rate fertilizer application | $9.82 per acrerange $4.25 to $16.00 | $4.25 to $16.00 | 47 |
| Liquid, knife | $14.15 per acrerange $7.50 to $35.00 | $7.50 to $35.00 | 21 |
| Liquid, spray | $9.87 per acrerange $6.00 to $18.00 | $6.00 to $18.00 | 37 |
| Anhydrous | $18.43 per acrerange $12.00 to $35.00 | $12.00 to $35.00 | 17 |
| Late season nitrogen with drops | $14.00 per acrerange $10.00 to $20.00 | $10.00 to $20.00 | 11 |
| Lime application (material not included) | $8.89 per acrerange $6.00 to $14.00 | $6.00 to $14.00 | 9 |
| Lime application (material not included) | $9.14 per tonrange $6.00 to $15.00 | $6.00 to $15.00 | 7 |
| Chemical control of weeds, insects, disease | |||
| Spraying, self-propelled sprayer | $9.89 per acrerange $6.00 to $18.00 | $6.00 to $18.00 | 97 |
| Spraying, pull-type sprayer | $9.28 per acrerange $5.00 to $15.00 | $5.00 to $15.00 | 16 |
| Spraying late season (high clearance) | $12.61 per acrerange $7.00 to $22.00 | $7.00 to $22.00 | 37 |
| Mechanical weed control | |||
| Rotary hoeing | $12.73 per acrerange $6.00 to $20.00 | $6.00 to $20.00 | 11 |
| Conventional cultivating | $17.50 per acrerange $7.00 to $30.00 | $7.00 to $30.00 | 10 |
| Weed electrocution | $46.89 per acrerange $25.00 to $100.00 | $25.00 to $100.00 | 27 |
| Aerial application | |||
| Airplane/helicopter, chemical (fungicide etc.) | $15.59 per acrerange $9.00 to $40.00 | $9.00 to $40.00 | 32 |
| Airplane/helicopter, seed | $13.00 per acrerange $9.00 to $16.00 | $9.00 to $16.00 | 9 |
| Drone/UAV, chemical (fungicide etc.) | $14.64 per acrerange $7.00 to $20.00 | $7.00 to $20.00 | 22 |
| Drone/UAV, seed | $15.42 per acrerange $12.00 to $20.00 | $12.00 to $20.00 | 12 |
| Drone/UAV, fertilizer | $16.50 per acrerange $12.00 to $22.00 | $12.00 to $22.00 | 8 |
| Planting | |||
| Plant corn, 30 inch rows | $23.51 per acrerange $6.00 to $40.00 | $6.00 to $40.00 | 44 |
| Plant corn, 30 inch rows with fertilizer application | $24.77 per acrerange $6.00 to $50.00 | $6.00 to $50.00 | 55 |
| Variable rate corn planting | $26.18 per acrerange $17.00 to $45.00 | $17.00 to $45.00 | 14 |
| Plant soybeans, 15 or 30 inch rows | $23.21 per acrerange $10.00 to $45.00 | $10.00 to $45.00 | 59 |
| Drill soybeans | $20.77 per acrerange $5.00 to $40.00 | $5.00 to $40.00 | 30 |
| Drill small grains | $20.68 per acrerange $10.00 to $40.00 | $10.00 to $40.00 | 34 |
| Forage, pasture, cover crop seeding | |||
| Seeding cover crops | $17.91 per acrerange $4.00 to $40.00 | $4.00 to $40.00 | 30 |
| Grain harvest | |||
| Harvest corn: combine, grain cart, haul local to farm | $40.99 per acrerange $20.00 to $90.00 | $20.00 to $90.00 | 61 |
| Harvest soybeans: combine, grain cart, haul local to farm | $37.92 per acrerange $20.00 to $85.00 | $20.00 to $85.00 | 65 |
| Harvest wheat: combine, grain cart, haul local to farm | $37.80 per acrerange $20.00 to $88.00 | $20.00 to $88.00 | 40 |
| Combine only, corn | $34.61 per acrerange $15.00 to $65.00 | $15.00 to $65.00 | 60 |
| Combine only, soybeans | $33.53 per acrerange $12.00 to $60.00 | $12.00 to $60.00 | 58 |
| Combine only, small grains | $33.56 per acrerange $12.00 to $62.00 | $12.00 to $62.00 | 39 |
| Grain cart | $7.72 per acrerange $2.00 to $20.00 | $2.00 to $20.00 | 18 |
| Grain storage and drying | |||
| On farm storage charge | $0.07 per bushel a monthrange $0.03 to $0.15 | $0.03 to $0.15 | 23 |
| On farm storage charge | $0.31 per bushel a yearrange $0.05 to $0.72 | $0.05 to $0.72 | 12 |
| On farm moisture removed | $0.05 per bushel per pointrange $0.02 to $0.10 | $0.02 to $0.10 | 12 |
| Commercial elevator storage | $0.11 per bushel a monthrange $0.03 to $0.15 | $0.03 to $0.15 | 36 |
| Grain hauling | |||
| Farm to market (average 22.7 miles one way) | $0.17 per bushelrange $0.03 to $0.35 | $0.03 to $0.35 | 68 |
| Field to farm (average 12.2 miles one way) | $0.13 per bushelrange $0.02 to $0.30 | $0.02 to $0.30 | 25 |
| Hay harvest | |||
| Mowing | $15.29 per acrerange $7.00 to $25.00 | $7.00 to $25.00 | 14 |
| Mowing/conditioning | $17.03 per acrerange $7.00 to $40.00 | $7.00 to $40.00 | 26 |
| Raking | $10.52 per acrerange $4.00 to $40.00 | $4.00 to $40.00 | 26 |
| Merging windrows | $12.00 per acrerange $7.00 to $17.00 | $7.00 to $17.00 | 7 |
| Tedding | $10.11 per acrerange $4.00 to $40.00 | $4.00 to $40.00 | 23 |
| Small square bales, baled and dropped on ground | $0.81 per balerange $0.35 to $1.50 | $0.35 to $1.50 | 10 |
| Small square bales, baled and loaded on wagon | $1.25 per balerange $0.50 to $2.50 | $0.50 to $2.50 | 8 |
| Large round bales, baled and left in field | $12.09 per balerange $6.50 to $20.00 | $6.50 to $20.00 | 38 |
| Large round bales, baled and hauled from field | $17.25 per balerange $8.50 to $25.00 | $8.50 to $25.00 | 6 |
| Large square bales, baled and left in field | $11.16 per balerange $8.00 to $15.00 | $8.00 to $15.00 | 7 |
| Mow, rake, bale, haul and store, custom hired | $53.12 per tonrange $30.00 to $90.00 | $30.00 to $90.00 | 5 |
| Custom farming, all machinery operations | |||
| Corn | $154.50 per acrerange $90.00 to $240.00 | $90.00 to $240.00 | 10 |
| Soybeans | $142.00 per acrerange $80.00 to $225.00 | $80.00 to $225.00 | 10 |
| Small grains | $141.67 per acrerange $70.00 to $215.00 | $70.00 to $215.00 | 6 |
| Manure application | |||
| Hauling liquid manure with semi | $126.48 per hourrange $90.00 to $200.00 | $90.00 to $200.00 | 22 |
| Spreading solid manure at field | $9.68 per tonrange $3.00 to $15.00 | $3.00 to $15.00 | 17 |
| Farm labor | |||
| Machinery operation | $22.22 per hourrange $15.00 to $40.00 | $15.00 to $40.00 | 59 |
| Drainage and tile | |||
| Drainage plow, 4 inch plastic | $0.40 per footrange $0.15 to $1.00 | $0.15 to $1.00 | 41 |
| Wheel or trencher, 4 inch plastic | $1.04 per footrange $0.29 to $3.00 | $0.29 to $3.00 | 13 |
| Excavator | $136.20 per hourrange $80.00 to $200.00 | $80.00 to $200.00 | 27 |
| Backhoe | $112.69 per hourrange $50.00 to $200.00 | $50.00 to $200.00 | 27 |
Surveys mailed, emailed and handed out at Extension programs through the winter of 2024; 333 farmers, custom operators, farm managers and landowners. These rates, except where noted, include the implement and tractor if required, all variable machinery costs such as fuel, oil, lube, twine, etc., and labor for the operation. Diesel ran about $3.20 to $3.50 a gallon off-road during the survey (January to April 2024). The range is the lowest and highest answer (OSU also prints a one standard deviation band, not shown). OSU released a 2026 edition in late summer 2026; it could not be opened from here yet, so this is the 2024 edition. Rows OSU did not summarize for too few answers are left out.
Source: Ohio State University Extension, the survey. AGSIST did not set these rates and does not adjust them. Bordering states with a survey here: Indiana (2025).
Questions
What does custom combining cost in Ohio?
In the Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2024 (Ward, Richer, Barker and Bennett), combining corn averaged $34.61 per acre ($15.00 to $65.00, 60 answers) and combining soybeans averaged $33.53 per acre ($12.00 to $60.00, 58 answers). Rates are survey averages; your local custom operator may charge more or less.
What is the custom planting rate in Ohio?
Plant corn, 30 inch rows: $23.51 per acre in the 2024 survey ($6.00 to $40.00, 44 answers). The survey's other planting lines are in the table above.
What does custom spraying cost in Ohio?
Spraying, self-propelled sprayer: $9.89 per acre in the 2024 survey ($6.00 to $18.00, 97 answers). Chemical is not included.
Who set these rates?
Nobody set them. They are averages of what farmers and custom operators told Ohio State University 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?
These rates, except where noted, include the implement and tractor if required, all variable machinery costs such as fuel, oil, lube, twine, etc., and labor for the operation. Diesel ran about $3.20 to $3.50 a gallon off-road during the survey (January to April 2024).
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