The Ohio Farm Custom Rates Survey data collection has launched once again. The online survey for 2026 is available at: www.go.osu.edu/customratesurvey2026
A large number of Ohio farmers hire machinery operations and other farm related work to be completed by others. This is often due to lack of proper equipment, lack of time or lack of expertise for a particular operation. Many farm business owners do not own equipment for every possible job that they may encounter in the course of operating a farm and may, instead of purchasing the equipment needed, seek out someone with the proper tools necessary to complete the job. This 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 farming providers and customers often negotiate an agreeable custom farming machinery rate by utilizing Extension surveys results as a starting point. Ohio State University Extension collects surveys and publishes survey results from the Ohio Farm Custom Survey every other year. This survey will result in a new Ohio Farm Custom Rate Survey Summary for 2026.
Custom work providers or customers are asked to respond even if they know only a few rates. Information is sought on actual rates, either what was paid to hire custom work or what was charged to perform custom work. Custom Rates should include all ownership costs of implement & tractor (if needed), operator labor, fuel and lube. If fuel is not included in the custom rate charge, there is a place on the survey to indicate this.
The online survey is available at: www.go.osu.edu/customratesurvey
If a document is preferred that can be printed out to complete by hand to return, email Eric Richer at richer.5@osu.edu, Barry Ward, at ward.8@osu.edu, John Barker at barker.41@osu.edu or Amanda Bennett at bennett.709@osu.edu
The deadline to complete the survey is March 31, 2026.