Average alfalfa & hay field size in Illinois
How big a typical Illinois alfalfa & hay operation is, what it costs to spray a field that size by drone, and how to measure your own.
Average alfalfa & hay per operation · Illinois
26 acres
USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 · 8,476 operations · 219,586 acres of alfalfa & hay total. This is the average across whole operations — a single field is usually smaller, since most farms are split into several fields.
Cost to spray a 26-acre alfalfa & hay field
Pre-filled to Illinois’s average alfalfa & hay acreage — adjust the acres, passes, carrier volume, or restricted-use toggle for your job.
Estimated cost in Illinois
$255–$459
$10–$18/acre × 26 acres
What’s driving this
- Illinois base rate
- $10–$18/acre (row crop)
- Crop
- ×0.98
- Gallons per acre
- 2 GPA → ×1.00
Application only — product & chemical extra.
Sources & how this is estimated
Estimate only — actual rates vary by field size, terrain, and product. Application only; product/chemical extra. Data as of 2025.
Sources: Shaw Local (Aug 2025) — three Illinois spray-drone operators charge $12-$15/ac; one quotes $12/ac for fungicide to stay competitive with manned aerial; AgFly Illinois — in-state aerial/drone fungicide application rate card; Illinois farmdoc 2025 Machinery Cost Estimates: Field Operations (ground spraying cost reference; no separate aerial/drone line); AgDroneDirectory — Illinois page & Corn Belt $12-$17 row-crop band
Drone-spraying cost by field size in Illinois
| Field size | Cost per application |
|---|---|
| 26 acresIL average | $255–$459 |
| 40 acres | $392–$706 |
| 80 acres | $784–$1,411 |
| 160 acres | $1,568–$2,822 |
| 320 acres | $3,136–$5,645 |
| 640 acres | $6,272–$11,290 |
Single application, application only (product/chemical extra). Carrier volume ≈ 2–3 GPA; typical passes 1+ between cuttings (weevil, aphid). Estimates — request quotes for exact pricing.
Measure your actual alfalfa & hay field
Averages are a planning starting point — your field is its own size. The field mapper turns satellite imagery into exact acreage in four steps:
- Open the field mapper. Go to the Ag Drone Sprayers field mapper and search your address in Illinois or pan the satellite map to your field.
- Trace the boundary. Tap each corner of your field to drop pins; the tool closes the polygon and computes geodesic acreage.
- Read acreage and cost. See your field's exact acreage and an instant drone-spraying cost estimate for alfalfa & hay in Illinois.
- Request free quotes. Send your mapped field to drone operators serving Illinois to receive real, no-obligation quotes.
Sources & method
Field size: USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 — average acres of alfalfa & hay per operation (219,586 acres ÷ 8,476 operations). Average acres per operation is a proxy for typical field size; a farm usually contains several fields. Cost: researched per-acre drone-spraying rates for Illinois (application only).
3 Illinois operators treat alfalfa & hay. Map your field and request free quotes.
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Field size & cost in Illinois
Alfalfa & Hay field size in Illinois: FAQs
- How big is the average alfalfa & hay operation in Illinois?
- USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture reports about 26 harvested acres of alfalfa & hay per operation in Illinois, averaged across 8,476 farms (219,586 acres total).
- Is average operation size the same as field size?
- No — and it's the most common mix-up. The 26-acre figure is the average alfalfa & hay acreage per farm; most farms split that across several fields, so a single field is typically smaller. For a real field boundary, trace it on satellite with the field mapper.
- How much does it cost to spray a 26-acre alfalfa & hay field by drone in Illinois?
- Roughly $255–$459 for a single application (about $10–$18/acre, application only — product is extra). Extra passes, higher carrier volume, or restricted-use products raise it. Use the calculator above to adjust.
- How do I measure my exact alfalfa & hay field?
- Open the field mapper, trace your field on satellite imagery, and you'll get its exact acreage, an instant Illinois cost estimate, and free quotes from drone operators serving your area — no app to install.