Hay - mowing
Harvesting Forages
University survey · 2026 · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
$15.45 avg per acre
$0$6$13$19$25
Low $9.50 · High $21.00 · statewide
Custom hay mowing and conditioning rates in Iowa
Short answer · 2026 survey averagesMowing or swathing only: about $15–18 an acre. Mow and condition: about $17 an acre.
Green = 2026 Iowa State University Extension and Outreach survey. Amber = what farmers report paying.
Range excludes the single lowest and highest response.
Mowing or swathing only
Priced per acre. Bars share one scale: $0–25. Bar = low to high; tick = average.
Swathing hay or small grain
Harvesting Forages
University survey · 2026 · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
$18.00 avg per acre
$0$6$13$19$25
Low $15.00 · High $22.00 · statewide
Mow and condition
Priced per acre. Bars share one scale: $0–30. Bar = low to high; tick = average.
Hay - mowing with conditioning
Harvesting Forages
University survey · 2026 · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
$17.30 avg per acre
$0$8$15$23$30
Low $10.00 · High $25.00 · statewide
Farmer-reported rates
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No approved farmer reports for hay mowing and conditioning in Iowa yet. Once 3 or more are in, they show here in amber, separate from the survey.
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Quantity × survey average. An estimate, not a quote.
Other states
Only rows for the same job and unit as this page, tagged with what the job includes. Survey years differ and aren't inflation-adjusted.
| State · survey | Includes | Job (survey wording) | Avg | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma · 2021–22 | Mowing or swathing only | Mowing hay (per acre) | $16.19 | not published |
| Mowing or swathing only | Swathing (per acre) | $16.09 | not published | |
| Georgia · 2024 | Mowing or swathing only | Mow Hay (per acre) | $22.68 | $11.00–$57.00 |
| Tennessee · 2023 | Mowing or swathing only | Disc Mowing (per acre) | $16.50 | $13.00–$20.00 |
| Mow and condition | Disc Mower Conditioner (per acre) | $21.00 | $15.00–$27.00 | |
| Kansas · 2026 | Mowing or swathing only | Mowing or swathing hay (per acre) | $17.71 | $10.00–$25.00 |
| Mowing or swathing only | Mowing or swathing forage (per acre) | $17.47 | $10.00–$25.00 | |
| Mow and condition | Swathing and conditioning (per acre) | $17.93 | $8.00–$25.00 | |
| Nebraska · 2026 | Mowing or swathing only | Mowing Hay (per acre) | $18.71 | $10.00–$25.00 |
| Mow and condition | Swathing with Crushing/Crimping (per acre) | $19.26 | $14.00–$25.00 | |
| Ohio · 2026 | Mow and condition | Mowing with conditioning (per acre) | $17.17 | $5.00–$35.00 |
| Arkansas | No university survey; farmer reports wanted | |||
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The CustomAcre Report
New survey releases, what farmers report paying, and changes that move custom rates.
Source
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey (A3-10). https://www.extension.iastate.edu/AGDM/crops/pdf/a3-10.pdf. Other-state rows come from each state's survey; see all sources.
Disclaimer
Survey averages are not price quotes. Rates vary with field size, distance, crop, equipment, fuel and local supply. Farmer reports are reviewed before publishing and never blended with survey data. Full disclaimer.