Hay cutting & swathing ratesAlberta
Typical charge in Alberta
$17.50/acre
Median of 41 surveyed charges, 2016–2018
Low (25th pct)
$15.00
High (75th pct)
$21.00
Surveyed: what people actually charged
Rates over time ($/acre)
Median charge per year, with the middle 50% of charges shaded.
These are surveyed rates: what Alberta producers and custom operators reported actually charging, by county (Alberta Custom Rates Survey, Government of Alberta). Some are “good neighbour” rates. Alberta hasn’t published a newer survey. How we source data
By county
$/acre, surveys 2014–2018. Click a column to sort.
| Rocky View County | 9 | $20.00 | $28.00 |
| Mountain View County | 5 | $18.00 | $28.00 |
| Red Deer County | 5 | $19.00 | $22.00 |
| Foothills County | 4 | $17.50 | $22.00 |
| Wheatland County | 4 | $19.75 | $28.00 |
| Kneehill County | 4 | $16.25 | $22.00 |
| MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 | 3 | $21.00 | $21.00 |
| Ponoka County | 3 | $15.00 | $20.00 |
| County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 | 3 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Lethbridge County | 2 | $16.50 | $21.00 |
| MD of Taber | 2 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| Vulcan County | 2 | $19.25 | $21.00 |
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Individual charges, 2014–2018
Each row is one operator’s reported charge (repeats from later surveys shown once), linked to its source PDF page.
| Wheatland County | $28.00 | Wheatland County MC Sp International Harvester 5000 swather with 12' header Minimum charge $125.00/hour | |
| MD of Bighorn No. 8 | $28.00 | MD of Bighorn No.8 MC Sp International Harvester 5000 swather with 12' header Minimum charge $125.00/hour | |
| Clearwater County | $28.00 | Clearwater County MC Sp International Harvester 5000 swather with 12' header Minimum charge $125.00/hour | |
| Mountain View County | $28.00 | Mountain View County MC Sp International Harvester 5000 swather with 12' header Minimum charge $125.00/hour | |
| Rocky View County | $28.00 | Rocky View County MC Sp International Harvester 5000 swather with 12' header Minimum charge $125.00/hour | |
| Cardston County | $25.00 | Cardston County MC John Deere 2750 tractor, John Deere 946 discbine 13' wide ~8-9 acres/hour | |
| MD of Taber | $24.00 | MD of Taber MC Sp Hesston haybine with 15' header | |
| Foothills County | $22.00 | MD of Foothills No. 31 MC Tractor, New Holland discbine 16' wide |