Cost Per Bushel Calculator
Calculate your true total economic cost of production per bushel of corn, soybeans, or wheat, and model break-even target commodity prices.
Per-Acre Production Cost, Yield & Market Bid
Cost Per Bushel Break-Even Formula
Cost Per Bushel = Total Production Cost Per Acre / Harvest Yield Per Acre (Bushels); Break-Even Price = Total Cost Per Acre / Expected Yield; Profit Per Bushel = Market Selling Price - Cost Per Bushel- Per-Acre Production Cost: Sum of seed, fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, machine wear, crop insurance, cash land rent, and overhead charges.
- Yield Sensitivity: Small changes in yield (e.g., ±20 bu/acre on corn) have a massive impact on your final cost per bushel because fixed overhead is spread over more units.
- Target Margin: Adding a targeted profit margin (e.g., +$0.50/bu) determines the exact grain marketing hedge or forward cash contract price to lock in.
Step-by-Step Worked Example
Calculation Steps:
- Calculate break-even cost per bushel: $740.00 / 185 bushels = $4.00 per bushel
- Calculate profit margin per bushel: $4.60 selling price - $4.00 cost = $0.60 profit / bushel
- Calculate net profit per acre: 185 bu × $0.60 profit = $111.00 / acre
How to Use This Calculator
- 1Enter your total cost per acre (or calculate it by adding variable inputs and land rent).
- 2Enter your actual or expected crop yield in bushels per acre.
- 3Input the current elevator cash contract bid or target selling price.
- 4Review break-even cost per bushel, profit margin per unit, and net return per acre.
Assumptions & Limitations
- Standard bushel weights: Corn = 56 lbs/bushel, Soybeans = 60 lbs/bushel, Wheat = 60 lbs/bushel.
- Evaluated at standard base moisture levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is cost per bushel more important than cost per acre?
While cost per acre tracks your seasonal cash outflow, you sell your crop by the bushel, not by the acre. Knowing your exact cost per bushel allows you to make disciplined grain marketing sales above break-even whenever futures rallies occur.
How does crop yield affect cost per bushel?
Because most field costs (land rent, seed, equipment passes) are fixed on a per-acre basis, higher yields dilute fixed costs across more bushels, drastically lowering cost per bushel. A $700/acre corn crop costs $4.67/bu at 150 bu/acre, but drops to $3.50/bu at 200 bu/acre.
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