By Andi Anderson
The Ohio State University Extension has released its 2025 Crop Enterprise Budgets, revealing a difficult financial outlook for corn, soybean, and wheat producers. Farmers across Ohio are expected to face low to negative returns due to a mix of lower crop prices and varying input costs.
While some input costs like fuel and crop protection chemicals are steady or declining, others—particularly machinery, equipment, and land rent—are pushing total expenses higher. These economic pressures are expected to reduce profit margins across all major field crops.
For corn, variable costs are projected to range from $502 to $614 per acre, depending on land productivity. Under trend yield assumptions (190.1 bushels per acre), total costs are estimated at $1,021 per acre, including $109 for machinery and $241 for land rent. Returns to land range from –$73 to $118 per acre.
Soybean costs are slightly lower. Variable costs range from $264 to $298 per acre, and total costs for trend-line yields (56.8 bpa) are $677 per acre. Returns to land are more favorable, ranging from $51 to $237 per acre.
For wheat, variable costs are estimated between $231 and $288 per acre, with total costs for trend-line yields (81.5 bpa) at $620 per acre. Depending on market prices, returns to land may fall between –$5 to $171 per acre.
Despite some lower input costs, increasing fixed costs and weak grain prices are making profitability more difficult. The grain prices used for budget assumptions are $4.20/bu for corn, $10.20/bu for soybeans, and $6.00/bu for wheat, though wheat prices have dropped since initial estimates.
Farmers can explore detailed budget breakdowns and tools to assist in financial planning at the OSU Farm Office website: farmoffice.osu.edu.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-alexeyrumyantsev
Categories: Ohio, Crops, Education