farming

[allischalmers1984]

ok heres a question. How much profit do you think can be made in one year on 80 acres. Doing corn/soybean rotation. Im talking spring planting to fall harvest. Costs would be seed/fertilzer and fuel. Corn yeilds are around 150-170 bushel and acre on the farm now. whats your guys thought. I would like to make this farm my full time job.

 

[iowafarmer]

Well, make a budget, all of your inputs and outputs. Your inputs are going to be seed, fertilizer, equipment, land cost whether thats rent or payments, always figure the cost of rent in even if you own the land and have it paid for because that is the money you could get from renting it out, custom farm work if you don't have the equipment, labor, insurance, im sure im forgetting some also. Your outputs will be your corn and beans, and any payments you get from the gov't. You will not be able to make a living off corn and soybeans on 80 acres in Iowa. So your options are expand, do it on the side as a hobby, rent the land out, or find a niche or specialty market. Because chances are you will not be able to sell all of your crop for top price with the fluctuations in the market right now. You must also figure on getting health insurance from somewhere whether you pay for it or your spouse works off the farm and you are covered through them. Takes a lot to make it full time farming in Iowa these days and have the quality of living that most people want. Srry to be so negative but thats the reality of it. Good luck to you.

 

[hillbillycwo]

Don't forget to include pesticides and weed control in that cost/input side.

 

[allischalmers1984]

all the ground and equipment are paid for. No heatlh insurance. never had too expensive. Im thinking i could atleast make 20-30 thousand a year from the ground

 

[TexasBred]

all the ground and equipment are paid for. No heatlh insurance. never had too expensive. Im thinking i could atleast make 20-30 thousand a year from the ground

That would be a net profit of 32% figuring $7.00 a bushel corn. If it was that easy there would be 3 generations in line waiting for great grandpa to die and leave'em the business.

 

[iowafarmer]

Don't forget to include pesticides and weed control in that cost/input side.

Thanks I knew I was forgetting something.

Here are some links to help you this one is ag decision maker it will help you go through and figure out your cost of production by helping you make a budget. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/

Here is another link. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/content/farmers

 

[Suzie Q]

... don't rely on your facts and figures. Things do not go to plan. Mother Nature has her say.

 

[kickinbull]

I am only going to pull you chain, so don't offended, that said, why don't you get on the Dairy website and ask if you can make $$$ raising chickens.

 

[Kingfisher]

I am only going to pull you chain, so don't offended, that said, why don't you get on the Dairy website and ask if you can make $$$ raising chickens.

 

[jedstivers]

all the ground and equipment are paid for. No heatlh insurance. never had too expensive. Im thinking i could atleast make 20-30 thousand a year from the ground

Let me know how it goes.

 

[larryshoat]

I would say, keep your current job, rent your 80 acres for $250-$300. Won't be long until you can buy more ground.

Larry

 

[hillbillycwo]

I find raising grass a big enough gamble. I would rent the field to someone experienced in raising row crops for a year or two offer to help and learn from him how he does it and then eventualy take the field over after I was comfortable. Too many variables involved in row crops. And the investment for the equipment is way to high for me to even think about it. Good luck!

 

[kenny thomas]

I would say, keep your current job, rent your 80 acres for $250-$300. Won't be long until you can buy more ground.

Larry

There is your 20-30 thousand and you sit in the recliner and watch.

 

[bannedagain]

ok heres a question. How much profit do you think can be made in one year on 80 acres. Doing corn/soybean rotation. Im talking spring planting to fall harvest. Costs would be seed/fertilzer and fuel. Corn yeilds are around 150-170 bushel and acre on the farm now. whats your guys thought. I would like to make this farm my full time job.

Right now I will have $3.27 invested in the bushel of corn next year on 180 BPA. Now my inputs won't change but I have a APH of 241. We just used 180 for cash flow purposes.

Seed was $119, fert was $226 that was for 950lbs of 19-19-16. Fuel ended up being $16.93 We till everything deep and black. All figures per acre. Halex was like $14 something.

 

[terra8186]

I have $400/acre into my own ground for corn for next year. I don't truck or combine, so that expenses is in the $400/acre. So if I can get $5.50 on 180 bushel corn, That is $990/acre. For eighty acres that would be about $45,000 in profits before real estate and self employment taxes.

Last year I was hoping to make $2d 00/acre on $3.50 corn. You will see profits this year, but fertilizer, seed, and herbicide prices will squeeze your profits in the coming years.

For Beans I have $240/acre and hoping for 40-50 bushel per acre beans. At $13/beans that is $520-$650 in sales, with a profit of about $350/acre. On eighty acres that would be about $28,000/year before real estate and self employment taxes.

Seems kind of crazy to quit your job to work a couple of weeks on your farm growing corn. But it might be a good retirement, though.