Grain trailer donation
Donate a grain trailer when the last harvest has been hauled
Hopper bottom trailers hold value better than almost anything on a farm. Aluminum does not rot, the design has not changed much in thirty years, and there is a buyer for a sound hopper every fall. That makes this one of the better donations we receive.
Where donated grain trailers come from
Farms winding down or changing how they move grain. An operation that goes to custom hauling has no need for its own hoppers, and an aging farmer retiring has a trailer worth more than the truck that pulled it.
Estates, frequently. A hopper trailer is a liquid asset with a known market, and a donation resolves it on a date the executor can plan around.
Small grain haulers closing. Those trailers tend to be higher mileage but well kept, because a hauler who neglects a hopper does not stay in business.
It goes behind a road tractor
A hopper trailer needs a semi tractor, and we bring one. What matters is whether it is roadworthy: brakes, lights, tires, and whether the air system holds.
Tell us the length, whether it is aluminum or steel, and whether it has a working tarp. Also tell us whether the trailer has been sitting on soft ground, because a hopper that has settled into mud needs pulling out before it can be hooked.
Empty the hoppers. Old grain left in a trailer is a pest and moisture problem and it comes out of the proceeds to deal with.
What decides what a hopper brings
- Aluminum or steel. Aluminum is worth substantially more and lasts longer. Most of the market wants aluminum.
- Length and capacity. The 40 to 43-foot class is the volume market.
- Tarp system. A working roll tarp is expected. A missing or shredded tarp is a known replacement cost.
- Traps and openers. Whether the hopper traps seal and open cleanly, manual or electric.
- Tires, brakes and suspension. Air ride versus spring, and eight tires that can pass an inspection.
Makes we accept
Grain trailers are a strong brand market.
- Most common: Wilson Pacesetter, Timpte Super Hopper, Merritt, Maurer, Dakota, Neville, Jet, Cornhusker.
- Also seen: Travis, Lode King, Doepker, Sudenga, Ital, Brehmer, and older Fruehauf and Trailmobile steel hoppers.
- Tarp systems buyers ask about: Shur-Co, Michel, Roll-Rite, Agri-Cover.
Manufacturer names appear here so you can find your own trailer. No manufacturer sponsors, endorses or is affiliated with this program.
The paperwork, and what you can deduct
A semi trailer is titled in essentially every state, so the title has to transfer. If it is lost, the state title rules page covers the duplicate process. Farm-titled and farm-plated trailers occasionally have their own wrinkles and we will walk you through them.
Giving Center sells the trailer and your deduction is the gross sale proceeds on Form 1098-C. A sound aluminum hopper clears $5,000 in nearly every case, which means the IRS requires a qualified appraisal and Form 8283 Section B, at your expense and by your choice.
If the trailer is a depreciated farm business asset, run it past your accountant. Farm business property rules are their own subject and worth five minutes of a professional's time.
Grain trailer donation questions
The tarp is shredded. Is that a problem?
No. Tarps are a routine replacement and buyers expect to price them. Tell us so the listing is honest.
Will you take a steel hopper?
Yes. Steel brings less than aluminum but it still sells, especially in good condition.
Do I need to clean out the hoppers?
Yes, please. Old grain draws pests and holds moisture, and the cleanup cost comes out of what the cause receives.
What if the trailer has settled into soft ground?
Tell us. It usually just means we bring the right equipment, but the driver has to know before he arrives.
Do you take flatbed and drop-deck semi trailers too?
Yes. Use the same form and describe what you have; see also equipment trailers.
Giving Center does not provide tax, legal or financial advice. Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and Publication 4303, and consult a tax professional.