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By Dr. Michael Langemeir, Purdue Center for Commercial Ag
Machinery costs continue to separate high-performing crop operations from the rest, with 2024 data showing large farms consistently operating at lower machinery cost per acre–$178 for corn and $108 for soybeans–compared to smaller operations. The spread is even wider when comparing farms in the top and bottom 20% of net returns, where machinery costs vary by $95 per acre on corn and $55 per acre on soybeans.
A long-run trend analysis from 2007 to 2024 reinforces that economies of scale persist, and cost pressures have intensified since 2021, raising machinery costs 25% for corn and 22% for soybeans for large-acreage producers.
Read the full breakdown and benchmark your operation.
