Table of Contents for Custom Rates
Table of Contents for Publications

1998 North Dakota Custom Rates
 Part I - Early Season Operations

August 28, 1998

Introduction
This publication is the result of a survey conducted by USDA's North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Approximately 1,600 reports from aerial sprayers, farmers/ranchers and other custom operators are tabulated. The survey is designed to provide state and regional averages for custom work rates. The early season survey has been conducted every three years since 1962, except during the early 1980's when it was conducted every other year.

Appreciation is expressed to all survey participants who provided the data for this report and also to the North Dakota State University County and State Extension Service personnel for their assistance on this project. Funding was provided by the North Dakota State University Experiment Station and Extension Service.


The Data
This report contains state and regional level custom work rates for land tillage, planting, fertilizer and pesticide application, haying operations and other custom work.

Included for each operation are the number of reports, range, most frequently reported and average rates. Also included are state level 1995 average rates, 1998 rates as a percent of 1995 and historical comparisons back to 1977 for selected operations. Regional averages are reported where there are a sufficient number of reports. We advise the reader to exercise discretion when using rates where fewer than fifteen reports were tabulated.

The range shows the minimum and maximum for each custom operation. The range is affected by the locality of the reporter and the size of the custom operator. A farmer/rancher who does a small amount of custom work for his neighbors may charge less than a large-scale operator.

The rates in this report are averages, not estimates. They include charges for equipment, power, fuel and the operator. Exchange work is not considered custom work for this survey.

Other Reports
A late season custom rates survey will be conducted in October. It will collect data on harvesting, grain drying, crop and hay hauling and other miscellaneous custom rates. This information will be released in November.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Larry W. Beard, State Statistician
North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service
NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448
P.O. Box 3166
Fargo, ND 58108-3166
Telephone: (701) 239-5306
E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov

Table of Contents for Custom Rates
Table of Contents for Publications