20 invested in the success of my farm and once the plan is in place, we trust each other to manage our responsibilities,” says VanZandwyk. THE LOWEST PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST CHOICE Luymes says combining is the most common service farmers outsource. Combines and harvesting equipment are also some of the most expensive equipment, making it an easy choice. Luymes recommends farmers considering outsourcing or looking for a professional agri-contractor start by asking for referrals rather than rates. “The lowest price isn’t always your best option. Building a relationship based on mutual goals and trust will be the greatest investment you can make in your fields,” says Luymes. Establishing clear expectations about the practices, technology, and machinery is also important when building a working relationship with a custom operator. Established in 2017 to support and represent professional agricontractors, OPACA membership continues to grow, especially as more farmers outsource their fieldwork. The organization roughly defines an agri-contractor as someone who makes 50 per cent or more of their business income as a custom operator. A founding member, Luymes says he’s noticed a trend of new, younger farmers seeing the growing demand for custom fieldwork and joining OPACA. “If you’re investing in a new piece of equipment, it makes sense to offer custom services to help pay for the machine. Contracting is a great way to build a business in agriculture that doesn’t require an existing land base or multi-generation family support,” he says. Looking ahead, OPACA will continue to work with OMAFRA to keep tabs on the cost of doing business as a service to the industry. “Just like farmers evaluate their cost of production, we’re here to help everyone remain competitive, profitable and successful too,” says Luymes. l continued from page 19 In early 2023, the Ontario Professional Agri-Contractors (OPACA) conducted an interim custom farm rates survey of 20 members. The survey was based on questions asked as part of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) custom rates survey conducted in 2021 and released in 2022. As a result of rising fuel and equipment costs, OPACA’s custom rates survey revealed farmers can expect a 25 per cent increase in OMAFRA’s reported contracting rates. Here is a look at a selection of OPACA’s survey results. Keep in mind that reported rates may vary based on geography, equipment and operators. COMPARING CUSTOM FARMING RATES Custom operation OMAFRA custom rate (2021 report) OPACA custom rate (2023 survey) Difference (per cent) Combining / harvesting Average - 23% Combining corn $51/acre $66/acre 30% Combining soybeans $50/acre $64/acre 29% Corn silage - chopper $529/hour $577/hour 9% Tillage Average - 27% Disc $24/acre $32/acre 34% Strip till $30/acre $41/acre 37% Planting Average - 30% Corn conventional 30” $27/acre $35/acre 30% Soybeans no-till 30” $28/acre $35/acre 23% Cereals no till $27/acre $37/acre 38% MARK LUYMES (LEFT) AND MARTIN VANZANDWYK (RIGHT) ON VANZANDWYK’S FARM IN WELLINGTON COUNTY. PHOTO COURTESY OF OPACA.
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