Agricultural Land Lease Hayman Farm

The County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland, are requesting bids on an agricultural land lease for Hayman Farm, a 60-acre tillable parcel near Ridgely on Race Track Road, with sealed bids due February 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Certified Minority Business Enterprises are encouraged to respond. A critical constraint: the property is currently listed for sale and is ultimately intended for industrial and economic development; the lessor reserves the right to reduce available acreage if portions are sold, with reimbursement to the lessee for reasonable and customary crop losses on sold acreage.

Bidders submit a price per acre; total annual rent is the per-acre rate multiplied by 60 acres, payable on or before June 1 each year. The lease term runs approximately two years (March 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027), with options to renew for two successive one-year terms only at mutual written agreement. The lessee assumes all farming operations, labor, equipment, and crop-input costs, and must comply with all applicable Maryland agricultural laws, including weed control, soil maintenance, and annual soil testing per University of Maryland Cooperative Extension procedures. The lessee must maintain a liability insurance policy of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence naming the County Commissioners as an additional insured. The lessor waives all government crop assistance, disaster assistance, and crop insurance payments to the lessee.

Questions are due by noon on February 11, 2026; a Q&A addendum will be posted by end of day February 13. Bids must be submitted in sealed form at the Caroline County Commissioners office, 109 Market Street, Denton, Maryland 21629, attention Nicole Pearce. Proposals must include a Drug Abuse Policy, Insurance Certificate, signed Bid Affidavit, and three business references. Proposals remain valid for 30 calendar days after bid opening. The County Commissioners reserve the right to reject any or all bids.