2023 Grain Marketing Information Now Available

The University of Maryland Extension has updated the grain marketing website with new input data and spray programs for the 2023 field crop budgets. The recent 2023 Maryland and Delaware Custom Rate Survey is also now available for farmers and farm workers.

Crop Budgets

Cost of production is essential when making decisions about your farm enterprise and grain marketing. Enterprise budgets provide valuable information regarding individual enterprises on the farm. An enterprise budget uses farm revenue, variable cost, fixed cost, and net income to provide a clear picture of the financial health of each farm enterprise. This tool enables farm managers to make decisions regarding enterprises and plan for the coming production year.

The 2023 Maryland enterprise budgets were developed using average yields and estimated input costs based on producer and farm supplier data. The figures presented are averages and vary significantly from one farm and region to the other. It is, therefore, crucial to input actual farm data when completing enterprise budgets for your farm.

How to Use University Enterprise Budgets:

The enterprise budgets can be used as a baseline for your operation.  Make changes to these budgets to include your production techniques, inputs, and overall management. 

 Use this document as a start or reference to creating your crop budgets.  The budgets are available electronically in PDF or Excel online at extension.umd.edu/grainmarketing. Contact information is on the website if you have problems downloading any of these budgets.

2023 Custom Rate Survey Now Available for Maryland and Delaware

Financial and economic considerations such as limited capital, untimely cash flow, low labor, small acreage, or other reasons require farmers to hire custom services for field operations.

Custom work charges are determined by demand and supply and are negotiated between farmers and custom operators. The purpose of the publication is to provide information on custom work charges in Maryland and Delaware.

Custom Work Charges

A mail survey was conducted in the fall of 2021 to determine custom works charges in Maryland and Delaware. Rates were collected from 67 custom operators and farmers and summarized for the state. Participants indicated the rates they charge for various field operations. The charges reported in this publication may serve as a guide in determining an acceptable rate for a particular job where little other information is available. The charges can also be compared with costs and returns and may be used as a basis for working out more equitable charges for both the custom operator and the customer.  These are available online at www.go.umd.edu/grainmarketing or contact your local Extension Office.

The accuracy of this survey depends on the number of realistic responses.  If you would like to be added to the custom applicator list for future surveys, send your name and email/mailing address to sdill@umd.edu c/o MD Custom Rates.