27AL2369 Pyramid State Park - Galum Unit Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking bids for agricultural farming services on state-owned property at Pyramid State Park's Galum Unit in Perry County, with bids due November 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., and a pre-submission conference on October 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Denmark Multipurpose Building in Cutler, Illinois (attendance non-mandatory). The state will award to the highest-priced responsive and responsible bidder.

The lessee must operate approximately 268.16 acres in 2027 and 2030, and 346.46 acres in 2028, 2029, and 2031, implementing a detailed cropping plan with mandatory cover crops (42–59 percent of acreage annually), wildlife habitat provisions, and conservation practices. The lessee must prohibit neonicotinoid-treated seed and Dicamba herbicide, control noxious weeds including Johnson grass and wild parsnip, maintain soil health standards per the Illinois Agronomy Handbook, document all chemical and fertilizer applications, provide yield monitor data, and comply with federal, state, and local environmental regulations and the Comprehensive Environmental Review Process for threatened and endangered species and wetlands impacts.

The lease term runs March 1, 2027, through February 28, 2032, with no renewal option. Pricing is submitted on a per-acre annual basis; the total contract price is firm and represents the sum of all five years. Payment is due in two installments: half by July 15 and the balance by December 15 of each lease year. The lessee is responsible for all leasehold taxes and may offset lease payments through approved additional services at University of Illinois or Iowa State University Extension custom rates, with projects exceeding 10 percent of contract value requiring prior written approval.

The lessee must maintain general liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million annual aggregate, and provide an irrevocable letter of credit to cover cash rent and real estate taxes prior to March 1 annually. The lessee must provide all labor, machinery, equipment, insurance, and materials; subcontracting and subleasing are prohibited except for specific cover crop and hay activities. Questions are due seven days after the pre-submission conference and should be submitted in writing to Melanie Dodd (Melanie.N.Dodd@Illinois.gov, 217/524-1308). Bids must remain firm for 90 days from opening. A $15 fee applies to awarded bidders of $1,000 or more contracts, to be deducted from the first check. The contract is subject to availability of appropriated funds and may be terminated for convenience with 30 days' notice or for cause.