Description
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is offering a farm lease for approximately 230‑260 acres of land within the Big Bend State Fish & Wildlife Area for the 2027‑2032 crop years. The lease is awarded to the highest‑priced responsive and responsible bidder, with a firm‑price lease term beginning March 1 2027 and ending July 30 2032. The lessee must manage all farming operations, comply with strict pesticide and land‑use restrictions, provide annual reports, maintain liability insurance, and pay all lease‑hold taxes.
• Lease area: ~270 acres, divided into yearly parcels (2027‑2031) ranging from 230‑256 acres each year.
• Financial obligations: Annual lease‑payment guarantee (pre‑pay or irrevocable Letter of Credit), lease‑hold tax payments, and required liability insurance.
• Operational constraints: No use of neonicotinoid‑treated soybean seed, no Dicamba, no bio‑solids, and limited subcontracting (only planting/termination of cover crops allowed).
• Reporting: Annual chemical, fertilizer, seed, and soil‑test logs due by Dec 15 each year; yield data upon request.