NIGP 94457: Oilseed and Grain Farming

NIGP 94457 Oilseed And Grain Farming, an Item code, encompasses agricultural land lease procurement by state and local park and open space departments managing county-owned agricultural property. The scope of work under this code consists of leasing agreements for farming operations on public land, where county agencies solicit qualified agricultural operators to manage acreage for hay production, commodity crops, forage, organic fruit and vegetable cultivation, and livestock grazing. Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS), Agricultural Resources Division, is the primary issuing body visible in recent activity, having posted three separate RFPs for agricultural leases of varying acreage and production focus between late March and mid-April 2026. Evaluation criteria across these solicitations consistently weight sustainability alignment, operational planning capability, agricultural experience, equipment availability, and financial viability. Lessees are required to carry commercial general liability insurance with minimums of $1,000,000 per occurrence and workers' compensation coverage, with Boulder County named as additional insured. County agencies offer water rights access, irrigation infrastructure use, and in some cases direct reimbursement for land-restoration work such as weed control and organic certification transition support.

Recent activity concentrates in Colorado, specifically Boulder County, where BCPOS solicited three leases: the AHI Agricultural Lease (RFP27026, approximately 756 acres, due April 21, 2026) for hay and forage production with fixed annual rent of $28,375 beginning 2027 plus maintenance fees; the Wilkie Miller Agricultural Lease (RFP27126, approximately 54.5 acres, due April 24, 2026) for hay production at $1,100 annual rent with county reimbursement up to $8,000 for weed control in year one; and the James Construction Agricultural Lease (RFP27426, approximately 31 acres, due May 8, 2026) for organic fruit and vegetable production with annual rent of $2,700 including irrigation equipment use. All three are structured as three-to-five-year ground leases with mandatory pre-proposal meetings and site visits. One outlier opportunity appeared in California: the County of Ventura, Department of Airports (RFPAIR202603, due April 30, 2026), which solicited a developer for an 11-acre non-aviation commercial use site subject to FAA runway protection zone restrictions, though this represents airport real-estate development rather than active agricultural production and falls outside the core operational focus of the code.