I grew up in Illinois, left there in 1989, and custom rates for corn or beans were 20.00 an acre, plus .05 per cwt. With an old F and M-2, I have to wonder how anybody can make it for much lessIJ The maintenance costs alone will eat you alive. If somebody can run 2 old machines, pay the maintenance, and expenses, for 12.00 an acreIJIJIJ I can say this, try telling a farmer with 300 acres of bottom ground, when a rain is coming, that you are down, and you will quickly be out of work. Bottom line is this, it is similiar to over the road transport of freight. There are two classes, as follows... 1. The class with old stuff, a mom and pop operation. They do the neighbors at a minimal cost cause they like to,.... 2. A custom operator. He puts acres through to pay his expenses, at a low rate. His profit is made by throughput, at several thousand acres a year, to make a lease payment, then he turns them at 2 years end, writes the lease off, and stays in business. It is simple economics of business....
