Custom farming

[deerdown]

I've been considering hiring out to custom farm some ground I have.
Who else custom farms their ground and what tips can you give someone who wants to do the same?
Why did you decide to custom farm as opposed to cash rent the ground?
What should I prepare myself for on this journey? Tia

 

[Muskrat24]

Just to get an idea of costs I would look at ISU ag decision maker machinery rental rates, custom rate survey.

 

[Sligh1]

Make sure super reputable guy doing it!!!
I’m not gonna say it’s common but it sure isn’t uncommon…. 5 semi loads of grain leave your farm… u get check for 4 of them. 1 “vanishes”. Happens a lot. So- watch it close.
If crops planted on time with ambitious & trustworthy guys - critical. The next thing: just be ok with “risk” …. Weather & markets. If u ok with that - worth it. I would say custom farming just needs a more educated owner of the land that understands farming to some degree. No right or wrong - just preference , what u comfy with and if u have great operators in your area.

 

[hans1]

The success or failure will hinge on the operator that you choose. Very hard to get yours done in good time when they have there own to do. The other thing to consider is crop insurance if you are new to having crop in your name you may only insure to county average rates and also wont have much prevent plant coverage the first few years.
I have done many different custom rate deals and seen the good and the bad. The best way to stay active in the process and have a share in the risk is a 2/3 -1/3 crop share agreement. The landowner gets 1/3 of the crop and the tenant pays all inputs,planting,harvest costs . Trucking and storage is normally each partys responsibilty as is crop insurance.

 

[deerdown]

The success or failure will hinge on the operator that you choose. Very hard to get yours done in good time when they have there own to do. The other thing to consider is crop insurance if you are new to having crop in your name you may only insure to county average rates and also wont have much prevent plant coverage the first few years.
I have done many different custom rate deals and seen the good and the bad. The best way to stay active in the process and have a share in the risk is a 2/3 -1/3 crop share agreement. The landowner gets 1/3 of the crop and the tenant pays all inputs,planting,harvest costs . Trucking and storage is normally each partys responsibilty as is crop insurance.

I appreciate the advice, sounds like a better way for me to approach it than what I was thinking. For the acres I wanted to start with, I'm sure I'd be paying a premium in custom fees. Thanks for suggesting a different way to get involved/educated, which is really my goal. I am now thinking I could even do a 50/50 and really get an education by sharing input costs....

Edited to say by sharing costs..

 

[JNRBRONC]

I haven't seen this mentioned, but shape and size of fields are becoming more important as the size of ag equipment grows. 80 tillable acres in a square or rectangle, golden. 10-20 acre plots that follow the terrain or curvature of a timber/creek, not so good. As mentioned, finding the right person is key.

 

[Iowa]

Make sure super reputable guy doing it!!!
I’m not gonna say it’s common but it sure isn’t uncommon…. 5 semi loads of grain leave your farm… u get check for 4 of them. 1 “vanishes”. Happens a lot. So- watch it close.
If crops planted on time with ambitious & trustworthy guys - critical. The next thing: just be ok with “risk” …. Weather & markets. If u ok with that - worth it. I would say custom farming just needs a more educated owner of the land that understands farming to some degree. No right or wrong - just preference , what u comfy with and if u have great operators in your area.

I would make an effort to be there when planting and harvest are going on, bring the guys lunch, help dump seed in the planter , just being present will go a long way to keeping them honest.
Friend of mine had some chicken barns built by a crew of non English speaking guys, he would carry a tape measure around the job site and measure random things they were working on (not knowing what the measurements were even supposed to be) he said it was comical watching those workers stop what they were doing and go dig the footings 3” deeper just because he stuck a tape measure down the hole. They knew they were taking shortcuts.
I’ve also stuck a tactacam in our gateways when we harvest, it’s nice to get an alert every time the truck shows up and leaves.