Crop Yield Profit Calculator
Calculate the expected net profit from a crop by weighing total revenue against seed, fertilizer, and other per-acre production costs. Ideal for farmers evaluating whether a planting decision pencils out before committing to a season.
About this calculator
Net crop profit is the difference between gross revenue and total production costs. The formula is: Profit = (acreage × yieldPerAcre × pricePerBushel) − (acreage × (seedCostPerAcre + fertilizerCostPerAcre + otherCostsPerAcre)). Gross revenue is calculated by multiplying total bushels harvested (acreage × yield per acre) by the market price received. Total costs scale linearly with acreage, combining the three major variable cost categories: seed, fertilizer, and all other expenses such as pesticides, fuel, labor, and land rent. The result shows whether the enterprise generates a positive margin. Breakeven price per bushel can be derived by dividing total costs by total bushels, giving producers a floor price to target when forward-contracting grain. This model assumes uniform yield across the field and a single blended market price, so results are most accurate when inputs are averages drawn from historical farm records.
How to use
Imagine a farmer planting 200 acres of corn with an expected yield of 180 bushels per acre, a futures price of $4.80 per bushel, seed costs of $120/acre, fertilizer costs of $160/acre, and other costs (chemicals, fuel, land rent) of $220/acre. Gross revenue = 200 × 180 × $4.80 = $172,800. Total costs = 200 × ($120 + $160 + $220) = 200 × $500 = $100,000. Net profit = $172,800 − $100,000 = $72,800. The breakeven price is $100,000 / (200 × 180) = $2.78/bushel, meaning the crop is profitable as long as corn stays above that level.
Frequently asked questions
What other costs per acre should I include in a crop profit calculation?
Other costs per acre typically include herbicide and pesticide applications, crop insurance premiums, machinery operating costs (fuel, repairs, depreciation), hired labor, drying and storage charges, and land rent or land ownership costs such as property taxes and mortgage interest. Many extension services publish itemized crop budgets by region and commodity that give you a solid starting benchmark. Omitting any major cost category will overstate your projected profit, so it pays to be thorough when entering figures.
How does market price per bushel affect my crop profit margin?
Market price is often the single largest lever on crop profitability because it multiplies across every bushel produced. A $0.50 per bushel increase in corn price on a 200-acre, 180-bushel farm adds $18,000 to gross revenue. Conversely, a price drop of the same magnitude erases that amount. This is why many producers use forward contracts, options, or crop revenue insurance to lock in a minimum price before the season. Knowing your breakeven price — total costs divided by total bushels — tells you exactly how much price downside you can absorb.
Why do my expected yield per acre estimates matter so much for profit projections?
Yield per acre directly determines total bushels and therefore total revenue, so even modest yield changes produce large dollar swings at scale. A 10-bushel-per-acre shortfall on 500 acres means 5,000 fewer bushels sold, which at $5.00/bushel is $25,000 in lost revenue with zero reduction in fixed costs. For this reason, agronomists recommend basing yield estimates on a five-year rolling average of your own field records rather than county averages, since soil type, drainage, and management history all cause significant variation.