2024 Nebraska Custom Rates: What to Charge?

Abstract

The 2024 Nebraska Custom Rates Report, which offers insights for agricultural producers and service providers, is now available through Nebraska Extension and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability. The report, published at cap.unl.edu/customrates, compiles survey data from 159 respondents, providing current market rates for 138 different custom operations and services across Nebraska. This comprehensive resource serves as an essential guide for those offering and seeking custom agricultural services. While the report offers a detailed overview of market trends, custom service providers are encouraged to consider their own operational costs when determining their rates. Agricultural custom rate charges can vary across the state. Therefore, the Nebraska Custom Rates Report provides rate details from survey responses grouped by Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Districts. Several factors contribute to rate differences reported by survey participants, including field and job sizes, soil conditions and the number of responses for the various operations. Some operators may charge lower than market rate prices to neighbors or relatives. Rates can change from year to year due to expense differences and local market forces. Determining appropriate charges for custom machine hire and agricultural services includes consideration of various elements such as current market rates reported in the custom rates survey report, market demand in the area for specific types of custom work, and availability of services.