Break-Even Yield Calculator
Calculate the minimum yield per acre needed to cover all production costs at a given commodity price.
Results
Visualization
How It Works
Break-even yield is the minimum production needed to cover all costs. If your expected yield exceeds break-even, you are projected profitable. A larger cushion between expected and break-even yield means more margin for error — drought, price drops, or cost overruns.
The Formula
Break-Even Yield = (Total Cost - Gov Payments) / Price
Break-Even Price = (Total Cost - Gov Payments) / Expected Yield
Break-Even Price = (Total Cost - Gov Payments) / Expected Yield
Variables
- Break-Even Yield — Minimum bushels per acre to cover all costs at a given price
- Break-Even Price — Minimum price per bushel to cover costs at expected yield
- Yield Cushion — Bushels above break-even — your margin for weather risk
Example
Corn at $640/acre cost, $4.50/bu price: break-even = 142.2 bu/acre. If you expect 180 bu/acre, you have a 37.8 bu cushion (21%).
Tips
- Know your break-even before marketing — never sell below break-even price.
- Calculate break-even for each field — some fields with high rent never break even.
- A 20%+ yield cushion is healthy. Below 10% means one bad year wipes out profits.
- Government payments (ARC/PLC) lower your effective break-even.
- Use break-even to evaluate land rental rates — maximum rent = (expected yield x price) - other costs - target profit.