You're viewing a specific archive. Looking for something and want to search by keyword or just take a general look at ALL our resources? Click Search below!
Search our entire resource library
Machinery & Facilities
Are autonomous machines financially competitive on today’s farms? Purdue research analyzes the real economics — from labor costs to hardware and subscription fees — and what it will take for autonomy to make sense at scale.
Read More about Are Autonomous Farm Machines Economically Ready Yet?Machinery investment benchmarks from 2007–2024 show that large crop farms hold a sizable cost advantage. Operations over 2,000 acres consistently invest less per acre—both in machinery ownership and net annual equipment spending—highlighting meaningful economies of scale. Understanding where your farm fits can help guide machinery planning and long-term cost management.
Read More about Crop Machinery InvestmentBenchmark machinery costs for corn and soybean farms and see how expenses differ by farm size and net return category. The article also reviews long-term machinery cost trends from 2007–2024 to help producers assess scale efficiencies and compare their own costs to industry benchmarks.
Read More about Machinery Cost Benchmarks for Corn & SoybeansRecent data shows that while farm input prices are influenced by general inflation, they often diverge due to distinct supply and demand dynamics for each input. This article explores long-term trends from 1973–2024 and highlights how inputs like labor and machinery tend to track inflation more closely than others like feed or fertilizer.
Read More about Trends in General Inflation and Farm Input PricesThe rates reported in this publication were compiled from questionnaires received from farmers, farm owners, farm custom operators, and professional farm managers in Indiana during the last month of 2024 and the first three months of 2025. Respondents were asked to report custom rates they had either paid or received during the past year.
Read More about 2025/26 Indiana Farm Custom RatesThe continued increase in size of tractors, combines, and other machinery has enabled farms to operate more acres and reduce labor use per acre. However, this increase in machinery size also makes it increasingly important to evaluate the efficient use of machinery.
Read More about Benchmarking Crop Machinery Cost and InvestmentThis spreadsheet can be used along with the Purdue Crop Cost & Return Guide to examine gross revenue, costs, and earnings for crop enterprises. The user can evaluate up to three full-season crops, and the wheat double-crop soybean system. Updated March 2026.
Read More about Crop Budget SpreadsheetAgLease101.org helps both land owners and land operators learn about alternative lease arrangements and includes sample written lease agreements for several alternatives. Ag Lease 101 was created by and is maintained by the North Central Farm Management Extension Committee (NCFMEC).
Read More about Ag Lease 101: Lease Publications & Forms from NCFMECMost of the recent discussion involving input price changes in U.S. production agriculture has focused on fertilizer prices, which have declined during the last few months. Other inputs have not necessarily experienced this decline in prices.
Read More about Trends in General Inflation and Farm Input PricesThe continued increase in size of tractors, combines, and other machinery has enabled farms to operate more acres and reduce labor use per acre. However, this increase in machinery size also makes it increasingly important to evaluate the efficient use of machinery.
Read More about Benchmarking Crop Machinery Cost and Investment