Wisconsin Ag Connection - Cost of Farming in Wisconsin Increased During 2011

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Cost of Farming in Wisconsin Increased During 2011
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/08/2012

After two years of declining trends, the cost of running an average-sized farm operation in Wisconsin during 2011 was up from the year before. According to the USDA's National Ag Statistics Service, total state farm production expenditures were at $9.6 billion last year--up 11 percent percent from 2010.

Ag economists say the most expensive category increases were tractors and self-propelled farm machinery, which was up 77 percent, followed by trucks and autos at a 50 percent increase. Feed expenditure were up 33 percent and other farm machinery was 27 percent more during the past year. The only categories that were lower than the previous year were livestock/poultry, rent, labor and taxes.

By the numbers, expenditures per Wisconsin farm averaged $124,286 in 2011, compared with $109,615 in 2010. The average Wisconsin farm spent $22,987 on feed, $16,753 on farm services, and $9,481 on labor.

Meanwhile, expenditures for a Midwestern farm averaged $158,988 last year--up by over $19,000 over 2010. The top five farm expenditures per farm in the region were $20,828 on rent, $20,796 on feed, $17,445 on fertilizer, lime and soil conditioner, $14,787 on farm services, and $13,547 on seeds and plants.

The Midwest was the farm production region contributing the most, 31 percent, to total U.S. farm production expenditures of $98.7 billion. Iowa was the region's top contributing state at 24.5 percent. Wisconsin was the least in the Midwest, accounting for 9.7 percent.

Nationally, farm production expenditures totaled $318.7 billion in 2011, up 13 percent from 2010. Expenditures per U.S. farm averaged $146,653 in 2011, compared with $131,821 in 2010. On average, American farms spent $25,129 on feed, $17,075 on farm services, $13,163 on livestock, poultry and related expenses, $12,334 on labor, and $12,104 on rent.

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