Ann Johanns interview:
Brandon Fonken interview
Custom farming is increasingly common in Iowa.
Iowa State University Extension program specialist Ann Johanns says their latest custom rates survey shows a nearly nine percent increase in preharvest operations and almost six percent climb in harvesting and hauling custom work between 2025 and 2026.
“Three percent of Iowa farmland is farmed through custom farming, but that statistic does not begin to capture farms that utilize custom work for just a few operations.”
Of the survey’s 4,600 respondents, 32 percent perform custom work, 20 percent hire work done, and 47 percent indicated doing both.
Northern Iowa farmer Brandon Fonken operates a custom spraying business near Jewell and tells Brownfield he’s not charging more this year despite higher fuel costs.
“Personally I’m not going to, maybe a person should. But I’m a farmer myself, so I know there’s a hundred other things out there that farmers are getting hit with from every side. So I’m trying to keep everything steady, they don’t need anymore surprises.”
Johanns says the custom rates survey is one of the most downloaded publications that Iowa State University has, which tells her custom work is extremely popular across Iowa and the Midwest.
