Welcome to the Custom Farmwork Rate Calculator Menu Page

The Custom Farmwork Rate Calculator is an excel worksheet that allows you to calculate what to charge for custom farmwork.
Also included are charts of machinery costs that are required for the calculations and a factsheet containing the 2006 Survey of
Custom Farmwork Rates charged in Ontario, a guide to writing custom farmwork agreements and a sample custom farmwork
agreement.
The Short-term Equipment Rental Rate Calculator is an excel worksheet that allows you to calculate what to charge for short-term
equipment rentals.
Developed by Carl Fletcher
Strategic Business Planning Program Lead
OMAFRA, Guelph
email: carl.fletcher@ontario.ca
May 18, 2007

Type of Machine Operation: (eg combine)

Custom Farmwork Rate Calculator

POWER UNIT (TRACTOR OR SELF-PROPELLED MACHINE)
Life (years)
5
Interest rate
5.00%
Acres/year
1600
Acres/hr (see table 5)
8
Annual Fixed Cost
Depreciation =
(see table 3)
Interest* =

Annual Operating Cost

Fuel & lubricants( Table 5) =
Repairs =
Total
+ MACHINE (TILLAGE IMPLEMENT, PTO MACHINE, OTHER)
Life (years)
5
Interest rate
5.00%
Annual Fixed Cost
Depreciation =

Insurance & housing =

Total
Annual Operating Cost
Repairs =
Total
= Annual Machinery Costs (A+B+C+D)
Return to Management

27,000
8,625
3,600
39,225 (A)

(litres/hour x hr/yr x fuel cost/L x 1.15)

estimate using Table 4

Purchase Price
Trade in Value

5,520
2000
7,520 (B)
$
$

purchase price trade-in value

life of machine (years)
(purchase price + trade-in) x annual interest rate
2
purchase price x 1%

0
0
0
0 (C)

estimate using Table 4

15% Operator Labour (self or hired) per Hour

Labour Allowance for Machine travel, downtime

+ Profit Margin (return to management, admin. costs) (suggest 15% of machinery costs ( E x 0.15 )
+ Operator Labour (self or hired) --- (suggest 15% over machine hr for travel, downtime) # of machinery hr x 1.15 x wage/h
= Total Costs
= Custom Rate

$ 240,000
$ 105,000
200
0.60
40

purchase price trade-in value

life of machine (years)
(purchase price + trade-in) x annual interest rate
2
purchase price x 1%

Insurance & housing =

Total

Interest* =

Purchase Price
Trade in Value
Hours per year
Fuel Cost per litre
Fuel Used -litres/hr (see Table 5)

(E+F+G)

$
$

0
0 (D)
46,745 (E)
17.00
15%

7,012 (F)

$
$
Per Acre $
Per Hour $

3,910 (G)
57,667 (H)
36.04
288.33

* Interest This interest calculation is the average annual interest cost of the investment (yours and/or the lender's) that is tied up in the machine

Short Term Equipment Rental Rate Calculator

+ Machinery Costs (from Custom Rate Calculator above)
Total Fuel and Lubricant cost (if any) (see Custom Rate Calculator above)
Return to management percentage
+ Profit Margin (return to management, admin. costs) suggest 15 % of Machinery Costs ( E J) x 0.15
= Total Costs (EJ+K)
= Rental Rate
Note: Rental Rates may have minimum daily or weekly rates

$
$
Per Acre $
Per Hour $

46,745
5,520
15%
6,184
47,409
29.63
237.04

(E)
(J)
(K)
(L)

Tables 4 and 5 scroll right

TABLE 3. Trade-In Values as a Percent of Purchase Cost

End of
Year

Tractors (hp)
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7
<80 hp
80149
150+ hp
1
60
68
67
74
49
56
65
47
61
69
2
54
61
59
62
44
50
60
44
54
62
3
50
57
54
54
40
46
56
42
49
56
4
46
53
49
48
37
42
53
40
45
52
5
43
49
45
43
35
39
50
39
42
48
6
41
46
42
38
32
37
48
38
39
45
7
38
44
39
34
30
34
46
36
36
42
8
36
41
36
31
28
32
44
35
34
40
9
34
39
34
28
27
30
42
34
31
37
10
33
37
32
25
25
28
40
33
30
35
11
31
35
30
23
24
27
39
32
28
33
12
29
33
28
20
23
25
38
32
26
31
13
28
32
26
18
21
24
36
31
24
29
14
27
30
24
17
20
22
35
30
23
28
15
25
29
23
15
19
21
34
29
22
26
16
24
28
21
13
18
20
33
29
20
25
17
23
26
20
12
17
19
32
28
19
24
18
22
25
19
10
16
18
30
27
18
22
19
21
24
18
9
16
17
29
27
17
21
20
20
23
17
8
15
16
29
26
16
20
Source: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standards, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1999
Group 1: Combines, self-propelled forage harvesters.
Group 2: Swathers, mower-conditioners, rotary hay mowers, rotary mower-conditioners.
Group 3: Forage harvesters, balers, bale elevators, tub grinders, augers, grinder-mixers, forage boxes, roller mills.
Group 4: Planters, drills, sprayers.
Group 5: Moldboard plows, chisel plows, cultivators, v-rippers.
Group 6: Disks, harrows, hoes.
Group 7: Manure spreaders, miscellaneous equipment.

TABLE 4. Accumulated Repair Costs as a Percent of Purchase Price

% LIFE Accumulated
% LIFE Accumulated
% LIFE Accumulated
Machine
HoursCosts
HoursCosts
HoursCosts
2 Wheel Tractors
3,000 6.2%
6,000 25.0%
9,000 56.2%
4 WD and MFWD Tractors
4,000 4.8%
8,000 19.2%
12,000 43.2%
Self Propelled Combines
750 2.2%
1,500 9.3%
2,250 21.9%
Planters, Drills
375 4.1%
750 17.5%
1,125 41.0%
Moldboard Plows
500 8.3%
1,000 28.7%
1,500 59.6%
Disk, Disk Harrows
500 5.5%
1,000 18.0%
1,500 35.9%
Chisel Plows
500 10.1%
1,000 26.5%
1,500 46.8%
Cultivators
500 10.2%
1,000 27.0%
1,500 47.6%
Mowers
500 14.2%
1,000 46.2%
1,500 92.0%
Square Balers, Small
500 6.6%
1,000 23.0%
1,500 47.7%
Square Balers, Large
750 6.0%
1,500 20.7%
2,250 43.0%
Large Round Balers
375 7.4%
750 25.9%
1,125 53.6%
SP Forage Harvesters
1,000 3.1%
2,000 12.5%
3,000 28.1%
Rakes
625 8.6%
1,250 22.7%
1,875 40.1%
Source: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standards, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1999

EXAMPLE
New Combine Cost
Projected use
Estimated accumulated
repair costs at 1,000 hours
from Table 4
Repair costs
Used Machinery

FULL LIFE Accumulated

HoursCosts
12,000 100%
16,000 80%
3,000 40%
1,500 75%
2,000 100%
2,000 60%
2,000 75%
2,000 70%
2,000 150%
2,000 80%
3,000 75%
1,500 90%
4,000 50%
2,500 60%

Accumulated Repair Cost Calculation

$240,000
8,000 acres or 200 hours per year over 5 years
4.2 % of purchase cost

Approx. $10,000 ($240,000 X 4.2%) over 5 yr for an average of $2,000/yr

When calculating the depreciation on used machinery, use the actual price paid for the machine minus its expected
trade-in or salvage value, divided by the expected life of the machine on your farm. Increase repair rates to levels
appropriate for the age or number of hours on the machine. Expect to have higher than normal repair expenses in
the first year of ownership of a used machine as you bring it back into top operating shape

TABLE 5. Performance, Horsepower and Fuel Requirements of Selected Farm Equipment

4l8 in. Furrow Plow

618 in. Furrow Plow
8l8 in. Furrow Plow
12.5 ft Field Cultivator
18 ft Field Cultivator
37 ft Field Cultivator
11 ft Chisel Plow
15 ft Chisel Plow
11 ft Tandem Disk
15 ft Tandem Disk
4R 36 in. Row Crop Planter
6R 30 in. Row Crop Planter
12R 30 in. Row Crop Planter
4R 36 in. MinimumTill Planter
6R30 in. MinimumTill Planter
8R30 in. Minimum Till Planter
25 ft Grain Drill
35 ft Grain Drill
12 ft Presswheel Drill
20 ft Presswheel Drill
15 ft No-Till Drill
20 ft No-Till Drill
30 ft Sprayer
50 ft Sprayer
9 ft Mower Conditioner
9 ft Rotary Mower/Conditioner
Square Baler
Round Baler 1,000 lbs.
Round Baler 1,500 lbs.
Large Size Square Baler
Round Baler 1,000 lb/Wrapper
2Row Forage Harvester
Large Forage Blower
Combine 4R30 in. Corn Hd
Combine 12R30 in. Corn Hd
Combine Grain Head 20 ft
Combine Grain Head 30 ft
Combine Soybean Head 15 ft
Combine Soybean Head 25 ft

HP required
75
130 MFWD
160
75
105 MFWD
225
75
130 MFWD
60
105 MFWD
40
60
105 MFWD
60
75
105 MFWD
130 MFWD
160 MFWD
75
130 MFWD
130 MFWD
160 MFWD
40
60
40
75
40
60
60
130 MFWD
60
105 MFWD
60
190
275
220
275
220
275

Acres/hour
2.8
4.2
5.6
9
13
26.7
5.9
8
6.4
8.7
5.6
7
14
5.1
6.4
8.5
4.7
14.9
5.1
8.5
6.4
8.5
15.4
25.6
4.4
6.6
4.4
3
4
16.3
3
1.4

Litres/ac
4.5
5.1
4.7
1.4
1.3
1.4
2.1
2.7
1.5
2
1.2
1.4
1.2
1.9
2
2.1
4.6
1.8
2.5
2.5
3.4
3.1
0.4
0.4
1.6
1.9
1.6
3.3
2.5
1.3
3.3
12.5

2.8
7.6
6.8
10.2
4.5
7.4

11.4
6
5.4
4.5
8.2
6.2

Litres/hour
12.5
21.6
26.5
12.5
17.4
37.5
12.5
21.6
9.9
17.4
6.8
9.9
17.4
9.9
12.5
17.4
21.6
26.5
12.5
21.6
21.6
26.5
6.8
9.9
6.8
12.5
6.8
9.9
9.9
21.6
9.9
17.4
9.9
31.8
45.9
36.8
45.9
36.8
45.9

Source: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Standards, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1999

GUIDE TO CUSTOM FARMWORK AND

SHORT-TERM EQUIPMENT RENTAL
by Carl Fletcher
Economic Development Division,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Instructions for Viewing this factsheet: double click on the icon below.
This factsheet contains the 2006 Survey of Custom Farmwork Rates
charged in Ontario, a guide to writing custom farmwork agreements
and a sample custom farmwork agreement.

Double click to view file as a Word document