27AL2003 Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking bids for agricultural farming services on approximately 216 to 254 acres at Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area in Randolph County, with sealed bids due November 25, 2026. A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for October 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time via Webex.

The lease encompasses multiple field parcels designated for agricultural production and wildlife management. Lessees must implement a five-year cropping plan (2027–2031) specifying corn, soybeans, cover crops, food plots, and idle land according to detailed field allocations. The plan prohibits neonicotinoid seed treatments and Dicamba; enforces Atrazine label compliance; and requires invasive weed control targeting Johnson Grass, Wild Parsnip, and Sericea Lespedeza. Cover crops (legumes or cereal grains at specified seeding rates) must be established on 28 to 44 percent of designated acres annually. All fields require standing crop retention along wildlife habitat edges with specified row counts. Lessees provide all labor, machinery, equipment, seed, fertilizer, and insurance; subcontracting is prohibited except for cover crop planting and hay baling. Acceptable services (chemical application, brush removal, road and culvert work, fertilizer application, field preparation, mowing, drainage repair, rock hauling, timber improvement) may substitute for cash rent at University of Illinois or Iowa State University Extension rates.

The lease term runs March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2032, with no renewal. Pricing is submitted on a per-acre basis varying by year (acreage ranges from 216.21 to 254.41 acres annually), with award based on total contract value. Payments are due in two installments: fifty percent by July 15 and the balance by December 15 each year, via cash, electronic fund transfer, or irrevocable letter of credit. Lessees are responsible for all leasehold property taxes, with paid receipts due by December 15 annually. General liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million annual aggregate, plus auto liability and workers' compensation, is required. An irrevocable letter of credit covering 2027 cash rent and property tax obligations is due with the bid. Bidders must complete Illinois Vendor Disclosure Forms (Forms A and Forms B) and submit a sealed bid response per the Invitation for Bid specifications.