| Parameter | Grain Bin | Bin Dryer |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacitybushels (bin volume) | ||
| Bushels dried per yearannual throughput | ||
| Original cost$ total investment | ||
| Useful lifeyears |
| Cost Item | Grain Bin | Bin Dryer |
|---|---|---|
| Rate of return (interest)annual, charged on avg. value | ||
| Repairs% of original cost / yr | ||
| Taxes% of original cost / yr | ||
| Insurance% of original cost / yr |
Methodology follows ISU Extension AgDM File C2-24. Depreciation = original cost ÷ useful life. Interest is charged on the average value over the asset's life (original cost ÷ 2 × rate). Repairs, taxes, and insurance are a percentage of the original investment. Total ownership cost ÷ bushels = cost per bushel (bin: per bushel of storage capacity; dryer: per bushel dried). Energy, labor, and grain loss are separate operating costs not included here.
The Oaken grain storage rent calculator helps a landlord and grain operator agree on a fair annual rental rate for a grain bin and bin dryer. Instead of a fixed guess, a data-driven approach weighs the structure's original cost, useful life, and operating rates so that rent reflects actual ownership and operating costs. Enter your bin and dryer cost, useful life, and operating rates, and the calculator computes depreciation, interest, repairs, taxes, and insurance, then derives cost per bushel of storage capacity and per bushel dried. Defaults match the ISU Example.
This grain bin rental estimator follows the Iowa State University Extension Ag Decision Maker File C2-24, Computing a Grain Storage and Dryer Rental Rate by William Edwards. The worksheet is a standard reference across the Corn Belt for setting grain storage and dryer rental rates.
Rental rate is built from annual ownership costs: depreciation on the bin and dryer, interest (return on investment), repairs, property taxes, and insurance. The grain storage rental rate calculator sums these and adds operating costs like utilities and labor.
Because storage capacity and drying throughput vary, the calculator normalizes the total annual cost to a cost per bushel of storage capacity and per bushel dried. This gives landlords and tenants a single, comparable rate for negotiation.
A grain storage rental rate is the annual payment a grain operator pays a landlord to lease a grain bin and, where applicable, a bin dryer. It is calculated from the structure's ownership costs (depreciation, interest, repairs, taxes, insurance) plus operating costs, and is often expressed per bushel of storage capacity.
The Iowa State University Extension Ag Decision Maker File C2-24, Computing a Grain Storage and Dryer Rental Rate, by William Edwards, estimates annual ownership costs from original cost and useful life, adds operating costs, and converts the total to a cost per bushel. This grain storage rent calculator follows that worksheet's methodology and default example.
Cost per bushel is the total annual ownership and operating cost of the bin and dryer divided by the storage capacity in bushels (for storage) or bushels dried per year (for drying). It lets landlords and tenants compare rates regardless of bin size.
Yes. The C2-24 worksheet and this estimator compute a rental rate for both the grain bin (storage capacity) and the bin dryer (bushels dried), combining ownership and operating costs for each into a single annual rate and per-bushel figure.
The estimator is an educational and negotiation tool that replicates the published ISU AgDM C2-24 methodology. It uses the inputs you provide and does not pull live market data. Always verify figures with current costs and your own bin and dryer records before signing a lease.
Oaken manages storage rental agreements, asset depreciation schedules, and per-bushel cost tracking across every facility.
