2026 Ohio Farm Custom Rates Released

By: Barry Ward¹, Eric Richer², John Barker³, Amanda Bennett⁴   Ohio State University Extension 

¹Assistant Professor & Leader, Production Business Management; ²Associate Professor & Field Specialist, Farm Management, ³Assistant Professor, Agriculture/Amos Program, Knox County; ⁴Assistant Professor, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Miami County (Ohio State University Extension) 

Farming is a complex business, and many Ohio farmers utilize outside assistance for specific farm-related work. This option is appealing for tasks requiring specialized equipment or technical expertise. Often, having someone else with specialized tools perform tasks is more cost effective and saves time. Farm work completed by others is often referred to as “custom farm work” or more simply, “custom work”. A “custom rate” is the amount agreed upon by both parties to be paid by the custom work customer to the custom work provider.

Custom rates increased for the majority of field operations in 2026 as compared to surveyed rates in 2024 but the increases did vary by operation. Examples include an increase of 4% for Planting Corn (30 Inch Rows with Fertilizer Application), 11% for Harvesting Corn (Combine, Grain Cart, Haul Local to Farm), 12% for Variable Rate Fertilizer Application, 7% for Spraying (Self-Propelled Sprayer), 9% for Disk Chisel and 16% for Tractor Rental (Tractor/Horsepower/Hour). Some field operations saw no change or even slight decreases from the 2024 survey.

Compared to 2024, custom rates have been impacted by higher machinery and equipment costs, higher labor costs and modestly higher fuel costs.

New field operations in this year’s survey and summary include vertical tillage, weed electrocution, late season nitrogen application with coulters, and trucking for silage and hay.

Ohio Farm Custom Rates

Click here for PDF of the 2026 Ohio Farm Custom Rates 

This publication reports custom rates based on a statewide survey. Surveys were mailed/emailed to past respondents and distributed at various Extension programs through the winter of 2026. The summary information included in this publication is based on the responses of 343 farmers, custom operators, farm managers, and landowners conducted in 2026. 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.

Some custom rates published in this study vary widely, possibly influenced by:

• Type or size of equipment used (e.g. 20-shank chisel plow versus a 9-shank)
• Size and shape of fields,
• Condition of the crop (for harvesting operations)
• Skill level of labor
• Amount of labor needed in relation to the equipment capabilities
• Cost margin differences for full-time custom operators compared to farmers supplementing current income
• Region of Ohio with different custom services supply and demand characteristics

Some custom rates reflect discounted rates as the parties involved have family or community relationships. Discounted rates may also occur when the custom work provider is attempting to strengthen a relationship to help secure the custom farmed land in a future purchase, or rental agreement. Some providers charge differently because they are simply attempting to spread their fixed costs over more acreage to decrease fixed costs per acre and are willing to forgo complete cost recovery.

Charges may be added if the custom provider considers a job abnormal such as distance from the operator’s base location, difficulty of terrain, amount of product or labor involved with the operation, or other special requirements of the custom work customer.

The data from this survey are intended to show a representative farming industry cost for specified machines and operations in Ohio. As a custom provider, the average rates reported in this publication may not cover your total costs for performing the custom service. As a customer, you may not be able to hire a custom service for the average rate published in this factsheet.

It is recommended that you calculate your own costs carefully before determining the rate to charge or pay. It may be helpful to compare the custom rates reported in this fact sheet with machinery costs calculated by economic models. The following resources are available to help you calculate and consider the total costs of a given machinery operation. You may consider using the data contained in multiple publications as a base for future custom rates. Suggested publications are:

• Illinois Farm Management Handbook, available by searching University of Illinois farmdoc.
• Estimating Farm Machinery Costs, available by searching Iowa State University agriculture decision maker and machinery management.

Finally, fuel prices have an impact on custom rates and rates may fluctuate based on large movements in fuel prices. The average price of retail on-highway diesel in 2025 according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) was $3.66 per gallon. The price of Midwest No 2 On-Road Diesel during the survey period (January – April 2026) ranged from $3.36 - $5.81 per gallon. Although geopolitical issues created a surge in energy prices in March and April, the authors assume most of the responses are reported using the assumption of diesel priced in the lower part of this range. Fuel prices at higher levels may create a need for higher custom rates or added fuel surcharges.

The authors would like to thank all the respondents who made time to complete the survey and the Extension Educators and staff who helped collect the data.

The complete “Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2026” publication is available online at the OSU Farm Office website https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/custom-rates-and-machinery-costs