You can’t just buy a farmland and start planting right away. Acres of land covered in trees, stumps, and brush need clearing before you can grow anything. The average cost to clear land for agriculture runs $1,400 to $5,600 per acre in 2025, with heavily forested land hitting the upper end.
What is land clearing in agriculture? As you might have guessed, it involves removing trees, vegetation, stumps, and obstacles to create the perfect farmland for crops or livestock. It's not just cutting down trees - you need to remove stumps completely, proper grading, and do erosion control to prevent the land from washing away in the rainy season.
What Is Land Clearing in Agriculture?
In the simplest of terms, land clearing in agriculture is the process of removing vegetation, trees, stumps, and debris from raw land to prepare it for farming. This creates usable agricultural space while setting up proper drainage and soil conditions for crops to grow to their full potential.
The clearing process starts with surveying the land, then moves through vegetation and stump removal, disposal of debris, and final grading.
Land clearing step-by-step:
- Remove trees, shrubs, and undergrowth
- Extract stumps and root systems completely - decaying stumps create voids under farmland
- Clear rocks, boulders, and surface debris
- Grade the land for proper drainage
- Remove surface soil with high organic content if needed
- Install erosion control to protect cleared soil
Importance of Land Clearing in Agriculture
Proper land clearing can turn unusable wooded land into productive farmland that generates income through crops or livestock.
Why it matters:
- Creates plantable acreage from forested areas
- Removes obstacles that damage farm equipment
- Establishes drainage to prevent waterlogged fields
- Controls erosion and topsoil loss
- Increases property value
- Eliminates vegetation that’s competing with crops for water and nutrients
While land clearing can cost $1,400-$5,600 per acre upfront, the productive farmland you get in return can generate ongoing returns.
Methods of Land Clearing in Agriculture
You can try different methods of land clearing in agriculture to suit different farm sizes and budgets.
Using Heavy Machinery for Clearing
Heavy machinery removes vegetation quickly. Best for developing larger-scale farms where speed matters, as this is the fastest option at 2 - 12 hours per acre. This method can cost $2,000-$5,600 per acre for heavily forested areas
- Bulldozers push down trees and vegetation
- Excavators dig out stumps and roots
- Skid steers load debris for removal
- Grading equipment levels the cleared surface
Using Mulchers
Mulchers shred vegetation on site, turning it into mulch that stays on the ground. This eliminates hauling costs and adds organic matter to the soil.
- More cost-effective than machine clearing with debris removal
- Less soil disturbance
- Organic matter improves soil quality
- Ready for planting sooner
Manual Clearing
Clearing with hand tools and chainsaws works for small plots or limited budgets. Manual land clearing costs for agriculture typically go for about $1,200 or less per acre for light brush.
When to use:
- Small plots under 1 acre
- Limited equipment access
- Tight budget constraints
Equipment and Tools for Land Clearing in Agriculture
The tools for land clearing in agriculture range from compact mini excavators to heavy bulldozers.
Mini Excavators
Mini excavators handle precision clearing on smaller farms the best. Their compact size and powerful hydraulics can remove stumps and manage debris efficiently.
Why do they work for farms?
- Fit through farm gates and tight areas
- 360-degree rotation to reach areas without repositioning
- Strong digging force for removing stumps and roots
- Multiple attachments to handle different tasks
- Less soil damage than heavy equipment
Uses:
- Clearing fence lines and boundaries
- Removing stumps from fields
- Digging drainage ditches
- Selective clearing around buildings
- Works well on 1-10 acre parcels
Skid Steers
Skid steers are mainly used to load and transport material during clearing. When clearing land for agriculture specifically, skid steers are used for loading cleared vegetation into trucks, grading the cleared farmland, pushing brush piles, and spreading topsoil after clearing.
Bulldozers
Large dozers can clear heavily forested farm acreage quickly than smaller machines. They are mostly used for working on Large acreage (10+ acres), heavy mature forests, or when fast clearing is needed.
Best Mini Excavator/ Skid Steer Attachments for Land Clearing
- Grapples for grabbing logs and brush
- Root rakes for separating rocks from soil
- Brush cutters for undergrowth
- Stump grinders for stump removal
- Rippers for breaking compacted soil
Recommended AHM Mini Excavators for Land Clearing
AHM AX-12B - $5,699.99
The AX-12B Mini Excavator, at 2,138 pounds, can more than handle agricultural clearing on smaller farms. With 69 inches of digging depth and 2,585 lbf digging force, this excavator removes stumps and clears fence lines efficiently.
- 37-inch width fits through gates
- 2,585 lbf force for extracting stumps
- 120-inch reach from a single position
- 0.26 gal/h fuel efficiency keeps costs low
AHM AX-16 - $8,599.99
The AX-16 1.3-ton mini excavator delivers 70% more power for tougher clearing. The 3,262 lbf digging force and 71-inch depth handle larger stumps on medium-sized acreage.
- 3,262 lbf force powers through stubborn stumps
- 23 HP dual-cylinder engine
- 39-inch width stays compact
- 0.4 gal/h fuel consumption
AHM AX-17 Swing Boom - $12,499.99
The AX-17 1.6 mini excavator comes with a swing boom (45-degree left, 55-degree right) to help you clear fence lines without constant repositioning. The 88.9-inch depth and 2,923 lbf force are perfect for removing deep root systems.
- Clears along fences efficiently with the swing boom
- 88.9-inch depth to handle deep roots
- Pilot hydraulics for precise control
- 43-inch width navigates farm buildings
The Bottom Line on Land Clearing in Agriculture
What is land clearing in agriculture? It means removing trees, stumps, and vegetation to create farmland. Costs run $1,400-$5,600 per acre, with clearing using excavators being the fastest at 2-12 hours per acre.
No matter how big or small your land is, the AHM excavator lineup has got your back and will cover all your farm clearing needs - the AX-12B at $5,699.99 for small plots, the AX-16 at $8,599.99 for medium acreage, and the AY-25J at $19,999.99 for commercial operations.
Match your excavator to farm size and the density of vegetation you need to clear, and you'll transform raw land into productive farmland.
Consider this guide on how to buy a mini excavator for more extensive details on what to look for.
