Articles

Custom hay baling rates look cheapest on small squares until you run the per-ton math: in Nebraska’s 2026 survey, they cost roughly 3x what rounds do.

Custom combining rates in Iowa’s survey predate a 90% diesel jump since February. Here’s what that adds per acre, and how to price it.

Custom planting with a high-speed planter now averages $31.25 an acre in Iowa, yet quotes span $14 to $56. Here’s what drives the gap.

Brush hogging rates swing nearly fourfold between pasture and brush in Iowa’s 2026 survey. Here’s what drives the gap and how to quote by acre or hour.

Forestry mulching prices hinge on one number: acres per hour. A USDA Forest Service study clocked 0.21 to 0.89 in the field, and your quote depends on it.

Dozer hourly rates depend on horsepower first: on FEMA’s 2025 schedule, a 170 hp D5 bills on the same line as a 215 hp D6. Here’s why that matters.

Backhoe hourly rates for Case 580 and Deere 310 work shouldn’t bury trench protection: most trenches 5 ft or deeper need it. Bill it separately.

Compact tractor costs at 150 billed hours and $5.76 Illinois farm diesel: $64.70 to $76.34 an hour for 30 to 50 hp. Compare that floor with each job line.

Skid steer hourly rate for wheeled vs tracked: at a Utah Cat rental store, CTLs rent $9.88–$16 an hour more than the same-engine skid steer.

Mini excavator rates from Missouri to Connecticut, plus a FEMA-based cost line that three of four Roanoke County bids on a Cat 308-class sat under.