27AL2565 Hanover Bluff State Natural Area Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking bids for agricultural farming services on 61.83 acres within Hanover Bluff Erwin State Natural Area, with bids due October 21, 2026 and a pre-bid conference on October 8, 2026 via WebEx.

The lease covers nine identified field parcels (940-1, 940-2, 940-3, 940-4, 940-6, 940-7, 940-8, 940-10, and 940-12) with a cropping plan spanning 2026 through 2031. The lessee must implement a rotational cropping system alternating annually between soybean-cover crop and corn-cover crop across all designated fields. Key operational restrictions include prohibition of neonicotinoid-treated soybean seed, restrictions on Dicamba herbicide use, mandatory adherence to Atrazine label directions, and 100 percent cover crop coverage from 2027 through 2031. Cover crops must be selected from an approved seed list and cannot be terminated before March 15 or roller crimped past May 15. Double cropping is prohibited.

Lease payments may be satisfied through cash rent or acceptable in-kind services including chemical application, clearing projects, road construction and maintenance, fertilizer application, field tillage and preparation, mowing, drainage structure repair, and timber stand improvement. Service reimbursement is calculated according to University of Illinois or Iowa State University Extension machinery rate surveys. The lessee must provide an irrevocable letter of credit covering 2027 cash rent and estimated real estate taxes, with expiration dates of January 31, 2028 and 2029 respectively.

Soil maintenance levels are specified for pH (6.0–6.5), phosphorus (30–50 lbs/acre depending on region), and potassium (260–400 lbs/acre based on soil cation exchange capacity). Baseline soil analysis data from January 2023 is provided. Prospective farmers must demonstrate financial stability, liability insurance coverage, and compliance with environmental and resource management regulations. The Illinois Procurement Code allows qualified vendors to claim applicable business or domestic product preferences with supporting documentation. Bidders not registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway must submit completed Vendor Disclosure Forms A~9 with their bids.