Custom Spraying

AllisG · Apr 29, 2012

I have 90 acres that id like to spray with a self propelled sprayer doing a fertilizer experiment on a new fertilizers affect on corn. Being only 90 acres id have time to do custom spraying, but with personal spraying atleast 1 a month or more it seem easier to spray myself. Looking at buying this sprayer on craigslist http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/2976056168.html , can i make the money to pay for it by custom spraying around my area?

Clodbuster · Apr 30, 2012

Looks like a nice smaller unit with limited clearance for taller crops. You may want to check what the insurance cost is for doing custom work and you will need a commercial applicator license.

JDseller · Apr 30, 2012

You will have more overhead than you think.
1) You will need a commercial applicators license. It is required in every state. If you spray for hire you have to have the license.

2) You will need insurance to cover you for liability. What happens if you spray the wrong chemical on a crop and kill the crop?? You have to have insurance to cover that. I checked into it 5-6 years ago. The insurance then was over $25,000 per year. This is a big reason you only see larger Coops doing custom spraying.

I will second what Clodbuster stated. These type of sprayers are just used when crops are fairly short in height. You seem to be doing a folular feeding type of fertilizer deal. How are you going to spray the corn after the first 30 days or so when it is too tall for this sprayer to get through?

So I think that with the cost of the sprayer and all the other overhead you are going to be spending a lot of money. The sprayer and insurance will drive the break even sky high.

thurlow · Apr 30, 2012

Had a 220 for a long time (after having had a 120 for a few years in the '80s); it was a great, trouble-free machine. GENERALLY speaking, it's a 25 acre per hour machine, so it'll take less than 4 hours to spray your 90 acres. Don't know how it is where you are, but around 'here', you'd be competing with the professionals........and would need a nurse truck/tank and someone to bring you water. If you've got the money and are looking to expand a hobby, go for it; if trying to make a living, forget it.

Lazy WP · Apr 30, 2012

You aren't going to be putting very many gallons per acre on with a Coupe.
By the time you get all legal, you will have so much over head involved, the Coupe won't be practical. I worked as a custom applicator for 10 years. There is alot of paper work involved, plus you need to have a place to wash out, and off, a containment system if you store much. There are just lots of hoops you need to jump through to make it work.

GeneMO · Apr 30, 2012

When you price insurance, which you will 100% have to have, you will decide to just hire it done.

Also, do you have your custom pesticide applicators permit?

Gene

Custom Spraying

AllisG

Member

Clodbuster

Member

JDseller

Well-known Member

thurlow

Well-known Member

Lazy WP

Well-known Member

GeneMO

Well-known Member

Similar threads