Iowa custom rates are the prices Iowa farmers pay or charge when one farm does fieldwork for another. The 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey puts corn combining at $46.05 per acre on average, soybean combining at $43.05 per acre, and full custom farming for corn at $177.85 per acre. These are survey results, not set prices.
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What the Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey Is
The survey is published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach through Ag Decision Maker. The 2026 edition is FM 1698, revised in March 2026. It reports rates Iowa farmers, custom operators and farm managers actually charge or pay, by operation.
Custom work is common in Iowa. A farm may own a planter but hire combining, or own a combine but hire spraying. A landowner may hire every operation. Both sides need a fair starting point, and real Iowa reports beat a national average or a guess based on last year. The survey is intended only as a guide. Use it to test a quote, not to set a price.
How the 2026 Survey Was Done
The survey was sent to 1,122 people in early February 2026. Results are based on 205 responses and 4,698 custom rates from Iowa farmers, custom operators and farm managers. That is a useful sample, not a census. Some operations have more than 100 reports, others far fewer, and the tables below show the response count for each operation.
Rates are for 2026. The survey assumes diesel at $2.89 per gallon as of February 2026. All rates include fuel, repairs, depreciation, interest, operator labor and all other machinery costs for the tractor and implement, unless otherwise noted. Check a quote includes the same things before you compare it with the survey.
How to Read Iowa Custom Rates: Average, Median and Range
The average is the mean of the reported rates. The median is the middle value when reports are in order. The range shows the spread of reported rates. The response count, shown as n, tells you how many rates went into that result. Start with the median for a typical price.
For corn combining, the average is $46.05 per acre and the median is $45.00 per acre, so reports cluster near the middle. For complete harvesting of corn, the average is $82.00 per acre and the median is $75.00 per acre, so high reports pulled it up. Corn combining ranges from $25.00 to $80.00 per acre. Field size, shape, crop condition, distance, timing, machine size and service included can move a price. Spraying with a ground self propelled machine has 121 responses. Small grain combining has 13, so treat it with more care.
Harvesting Rates in 2026
The survey gives separate rates for corn, soybean and small grain, plus separate rates for different heads and for complete harvesting. Complete harvesting means the full harvest job, not just the combining pass, so read the service in a quote before comparing it with a survey rate.
| Operation | Average | Median | Range | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corn combining | $46.05 per acre | $45.00 per acre | $25.00 to $80.00 per acre | 119 |
| Corn combining with chopper head | $50.60 per acre | $50.00 per acre | $25.00 to $80.00 per acre | 61 |
| Soybean combining | $43.05 per acre | $42.00 per acre | $24.00 to $70.00 per acre | 94 |
| Soybean combining with draper head | $48.20 per acre | $45.50 per acre | $24.00 to $80.00 per acre | 95 |
| Small grain combining | $47.00 per acre | $45.00 per acre | $35.00 to $65.00 per acre | 13 |
| Complete harvesting corn | $82.00 per acre | $75.00 per acre | $40.00 to $175.00 per acre | 67 |
| Complete harvesting soybean | $77.40 per acre | $70.00 per acre | $32.00 to $175.00 per acre | 68 |
For custom combining prices, corn at $46.05 per acre is $3.00 above soybean at $43.05 on average. A chopper head adds about $4.55 per acre for corn, and a draper head adds about $5.15 for soybean. Complete harvesting averages $82.00 for corn and $77.40 for soybean, well above combining only, because it can include grain cart work and hauling. The harvesting acres per hour calculator runs the time check with your header width, speed and efficiency, and the combine harvester productivity guide explains what limits harvest speed.
Planting and Tillage Rates in 2026
Planting rates vary with the planter and its attachments. The survey separates planting without attachments, planting with fertilizer and insecticide attachments, a no till planter and a high speed planter. Tillage rates are lower, reflecting simpler equipment and faster passes.
| Operation | Average | Median | Range | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planting without attachments | $26.50 per acre | $26.00 per acre | $15.00 to $38.00 per acre | 69 |
| Planting with fertilizer and insecticide attachments | $29.60 per acre | $27.50 per acre | $16.00 to $50.00 per acre | 47 |
| Planting no till planter | $29.10 per acre | $28.30 per acre | $15.00 to $46.00 per acre | 76 |
| Planting high speed planter | $31.25 per acre | $30.00 per acre | $14.00 to $56.00 per acre | 71 |
| Chisel plowing | $20.75 per acre | $20.00 per acre | $10.00 to $28.00 per acre | 37 |
| Disking tandem | $19.80 per acre | $20.00 per acre | $10.00 to $30.00 per acre | 59 |
| Field cultivating | $19.20 per acre | $19.00 per acre | $7.60 to $32.00 per acre | 82 |
Planting without attachments averages $26.50 per acre. Adding fertilizer and insecticide attachments takes the average to $29.60, up $3.10, to cover extra equipment and handling. A high speed planter averages $31.25, with the widest range here, $14.00 to $56.00, so its $30.00 median is the better guide. Field cultivating, with 82 responses, averages $19.20 per acre.
Spraying, Hauling, Hay and Labor Rates in 2026
Spraying, grain handling and hay work use per acre, per bushel, per bale and per hour pricing. Keep the unit in view. A per acre spraying rate and a per hour labor rate answer different questions, and a per bushel hauling rate depends on yield as well as distance.
| Operation | Average | Median | Range | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spraying ground self propelled | $9.35 per acre | $9.00 per acre | $5.00 to $18.00 per acre | 121 |
| Spraying drone | $12.50 per acre | $12.00 per acre | $8.00 to $16.00 per acre | 47 |
| Grain cart corn | $9.25 per acre | $8.75 per acre | $3.00 to $22.00 per acre | 72 |
| Hauling grain to market, truck, 25 miles one way, per bushel | $0.20 per bushel | $0.20 per bushel | $0.09 to $0.35 per bushel | 97 |
| Hay mowing | $15.45 per acre | $15.00 per acre | $9.50 to $21.00 per acre | 20 |
| Large round bales with wrap, per bale | $15.75 per bale | $16.00 per bale | $12.00 to $20.00 per bale | 39 |
| Farm labor spraying or harvesting, per hour | $24.45 per hour | $25.00 per hour | $15.00 to $40.00 per hour | 81 |
| Mowing lawns, per hour | $56.65 per hour | $60.00 per hour | $20.00 to $100.00 per hour | 30 |
| Mowing CRP or pasture, per acre | $27.05 per acre | $27.00 per acre | $12.00 to $50.00 per acre | 47 |
Ground spraying averages $9.35 per acre, with 121 responses, the largest sample here. Drone spraying averages $12.50, with 47 responses. Compare total cost for the same area and product, not just the per acre rate. Hauling to market by truck for 25 miles one way averages $0.20 per bushel, tied to that distance. Farm labor for spraying or harvesting averages $24.45 per hour.
Full Custom Farming Rates in 2026
Full custom farming means one operator does all operations for a crop, from tillage and planting through spraying and harvest. These are the custom farming rates 2026 figures for Iowa, not a national guide to custom farming rates in general.
| Operation | Average | Median | Range | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom farming all operations corn | $177.85 per acre | $165.00 per acre | $74.50 to $375.00 per acre | 64 |
| Custom farming all operations soybean | $161.70 per acre | $155.00 per acre | $65.00 to $353.00 per acre | 63 |
| Custom farming small grain | $186.15 per acre | $167.00 per acre | $70.00 to $290.00 per acre | 13 |
Corn averages $177.85 per acre, median $165.00. Soybean averages $161.70, median $155.00. Small grain averages $186.15, median $167.00, on only 13 responses. Ranges are very wide: corn $74.50 to $375.00, soybean $65.00 to $353.00. A low price may cover fewer passes, a high price more work or harder ground, so list the operations in a quote and check them against expectations. In 2026, corn combining averages $46.05 per acre, soybean combining averages $43.05, and corn all operations averages $177.85.
Worked Example: Rate into Hours and Total Cost
A per acre rate does not tell you how long a job takes. The acres per hour formula links the two: acres per hour equals width in feet times speed in miles per hour times efficiency, divided by 8.25. Efficiency is the share of time covering new ground.
Take a 30 ft combine at 4.5 miles per hour and 75 percent efficiency: 30 times 4.5 times 0.75, divided by 8.25, equals 12.27 acres per hour. For a 160 acre corn field, time is 160 divided by 12.27, about 13.04 hours. At $46.05 per acre, total cost is 160 times $46.05, which is $7,368.00. The implied rate is $7,368.00 divided by 13.04, about $565.03 per hour.
Use the same steps for your field: find acres per hour, divide acres by it for hours, multiply acres by the rate for total cost, then divide total cost by hours for the implied hourly rate. A small or irregular field cuts efficiency and may justify a higher per acre rate. The Acres Per Hour Calculator runs this for any machine, and the cost per acre calculator turns an hourly cost into a cost per acre.
What Is Included in the Rates
All survey rates include fuel, repairs, depreciation, interest, operator labor and all other machinery costs for the tractor and implement, unless otherwise noted. For most operations, the survey says those items are already in the rate, so use the rate as a full machinery cost, not as a labor-only charge.
Ask the operator what their rate includes before you compare it with the survey. If a rate is much lower than the survey average, it may not include fuel, labor, or a second pass. If a rate is much higher, it may include an extra service such as going back, dealing with a field obstruction, or hauling grain further than the survey job.
How to Compare a Quote with the Survey
Match the service first. A quote for corn combining at $46.05 per acre is not the same as a quote for complete harvesting of corn at $82.00 per acre. One is a single pass, the other includes more work.
Place the quote against the median and the range. Near the median is typical. Near the top may still be fair for a small field, tight timing, difficult crop or fuller service. Near the bottom may still be fair for a large, easy field close to the operator. Then test the total: multiply the rate by the acres, and check acres, timing, payment terms and who supplies product, fuel and labor. Use the contractor pricing with productivity rates guide to turn your own hourly cost into a per acre price.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
Do not treat the average as a price. It hides the spread in the service, field, machine, timing and distance. Do not use a rate for the wrong service. Combining only is not complete harvesting. A 2023 rate is not a 2026 rate. A per acre rate is not a per hour rate. Check the survey table for the operation, use the median as a starting point, then adjust for your field, machine and service included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are Iowa custom rates?
A: Iowa custom rates are the prices paid for fieldwork done by one farm for another, such as combining, planting and spraying. They are survey results, not set prices.
Q: What is the 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey?
A: The 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey is a survey of prices paid or charged for custom fieldwork in Iowa. It is FM 1698, published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach through Ag Decision Maker, revised in March 2026.
Q: What is the average Iowa custom rate for combining corn in 2026?
A: The average for corn combining is $46.05 per acre, with a median of $45.00 per acre, a range of $25.00 to $80.00 per acre, and 119 responses.
Q: What is the average Iowa custom rate for combining soybeans in 2026?
A: The average for soybean combining is $43.05 per acre, with a median of $42.00 per acre, a range of $24.00 to $70.00 per acre, and 94 responses.
Q: What is the average Iowa custom rate to plant a crop in 2026?
A: Planting without attachments averages $26.50 per acre. With fertilizer and insecticide attachments it averages $29.60 per acre, and a high speed planter averages $31.25 per acre.
Q: How do I find the full 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey?
A: It is published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach through Ag Decision Maker, FM 1698, revised in March 2026. The landing page is https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a3-10.html and the PDF is https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/pdf/a3-10.pdf .
Use the 2026 survey as your starting point, match the service, test the total cost, and agree the inclusions.
