Forage Cost of Production Calculator
User Guide
This calculator is designed to help you calculate the production cost of forage crops. For the optimal experience, use the calculator on a computer.
Please input your data into the yellow cells. The blue-shaded cells are calculated and cannot be changed.
Please choose Annual or Perennial from the drop-down list in the second line. If Annual is chosen, data is not required in later lines (cells will turn grey).
The pre-populated numbers are intended solely as examples, NOT benchmarks.
For further clarification and guidance on input, additional explanations are provided in the text boxes and footnotes.
Forage Enterprise Level Info
Forage Enterprise Level Info
| Input | Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Description | |||||
|
Annual or Perennial (select from drop-down list) |
Forage Land
| Forage Land | Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | Farm Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owned Land Area |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
Estimated Rental Price (Owned Land) |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre | ||
| Rented Land Area |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
|
acre |
| Rental Price |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre | ||
Unit Conversion
|
|
tonne | = |
|
ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
kg | = |
|
ton |
|
|
lb | = |
|
ton |
Forage Yield
| Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | Farm Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Length of Perennial Forage Stand (incl. establishment year) |
|
years |
|
years |
|
years |
|
years |
|
years | ||
| Average Annual Yield (wet weight) |
|
ton/acre |
|
ton/acre |
|
ton/acre |
|
ton/acre |
|
ton/acre | ||
| Dry Matter % |
|
% |
|
% |
|
% |
|
% |
|
% | ||
| Annual Production (wet weight) |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
| Annual Production (dry matter) |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
|
tons |
Variable Costs (Cash): Establishment Year for Perennial Crops OR Average Annual Variable Cost for
Annual Crops
| Average Annual Variable Cost | Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed & Treatment |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Nurse Crop Seed |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Fertilizer |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Chemicals (Herbicide, Insecticide, Fungicide) |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Fuel |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Rental and Custom Work |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Crop Insurance |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Twine/Net Wrap/ Plastic |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Others |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Total Variable Cost in Establishment Year |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
Variable Costs (Cash): Enter for PERENNIAL only – Average Annual Variable Cost in Year 2 Onward
| Average Annual Variable Cost | Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fertilizer |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Chemicals (Herbicide, Insecticide, Fungicide) |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Fuel |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Rental and Custom Work |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Crop Insurance |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Twine/Net Wrap/ Plastic |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Others |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Average Annual Variable Cost in Year-2 onward |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
Whole-Farm Level Info
%/year
Overhead (Cash) Cost
| Land Improvement |
|
$/year | Machine Maintenance |
|
$/year | Building Maintenance |
|
$/year |
| Diesel |
|
$/year | Gasoline |
|
$/year | Utilities (e.g. water, electricity) |
|
$/year |
| Farm Insurance |
|
$/year | Life Insurance |
|
$/year | Advisory Cost |
|
$/year |
| Farm Tax |
|
$/year | Accounting |
|
$/year | Office |
|
$/year |
| Interest on liability |
|
$/year | Machinery Lease |
|
$/year | Others |
|
$/year |
Forage Production as a % of Whole Farm
Option 1
If the overhead costs are for the entire farm, please specify the percentage for forage production. Considerations:- What portion of revenue comes from forage or enterprises that utilize the homegrown forage?
- What portion of machinery operating time is spent on forage production versus annual crops?
Option 2
If the overhead costs are exclusive to forage production and not the entire farm, please allocate 100% for forage production.
Depreciation and Opportunity Cost on Machinery and Buildings
Machinery
Depreciation on machinery and buildings
is a non-cash cost that reveals the ability of the farm to continue operating if an asset needs replacement. It is calculated as:Depreciation = (Current Market Value -Salvage Value) X Forage Usage % / Years of Useful Life.
Storage/Buildings
Forage usage % for machinery and buildings
Option 1
If the current market value is for all equipment or buildings on the entire farm,please specify the percentage used for forage as the forage usage %.
Option 2
If the current market value is for forage-specific equipment or buildings, please input 100% for forage usage %.Labour
Unpaid Labour Cost per Hour
Consideration: What you would have to pay someone else to do the job?
Results Summary- Cost per Acre
| Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Cost | ||||||||||
| Land Rent |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Variable Cost |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Overhead Cost & Paid labour |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Total Cash Cost |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Depreciation | ||||||||||
| Machinery |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Storage/Buildings |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Total Depreciation |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Opportunity Cost | ||||||||||
| Owned land |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Unpaid labour |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Capital |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Total Opportunity Cost |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
| Total Production Cost per Acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
|
$/acre |
Results Summary- Cost per Wet Ton
| Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Cost | ||||||||||
| Land Rent |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Variable Cost |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Overhead Cost & Paid labour |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Cash Cost |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Depreciation | ||||||||||
| Machinery |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Storage/Buildings |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Depreciation |
| $/ton |
| $/ton |
| $/ton |
| $/ton |
| $/ton |
| Opportunity Cost | ||||||||||
| Owned land |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Unpaid labour |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Capital |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Opportunity Cost |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Production Cost per Wet Ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
Results Summary - Cost per Dry Ton
| Field #1 | Field #2 | Field #3 | Field #4 | Field #5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Cost | ||||||||||
| Land Rent |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Variable Cost |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Overhead & Paid labour |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Cash Cost |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Depreciation | ||||||||||
| Machinery |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Storage/Building |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Depreciation |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Opportunity Cost | ||||||||||
| Owned land |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Unpaid labour |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Capital |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Opportunity Cost |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
| Total Production Cost per Dry Ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |
|
$/ton |