Agricultural Land Lease

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Parks and Recreation is requesting proposals for an agricultural land lease at Trap Pond State Park in Sussex County, with sealed proposals due December 8, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. The lease covers two designated parcels totaling approximately 81.23 acres (TPSP-01-2027, ~33.23 acres, and TPSP-02-2027, ~48 acres) designated for crops and hay production.

The lease term runs seven years, commencing January 1, 2027 and terminating December 31, 2034. Lessees must comply with conservation plans, nutrient management plans, cover crop requirements, pesticide notification protocols, noxious weed control, and maintenance of vegetated buffer strips around crop fields. DNREC reserves the right to reduce rental fees if land is removed from production, grant easements and rights-of-way, create pathways, or divert land for other departmental uses.

Evaluation is scored on a 100-point scale: ability to meet lease conditions (20 points), knowledge and experience in farming leased property (20 points), experience with Delaware's Farmland Preservation Program, USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers programs, and/or Young Farmers Program (6 points), and per-acre bid pricing (54 points). Bid security equal to 25 percent of the proposed annual lease fee, submitted as a certified check payable to DNREC, must accompany each proposal; upon award, this security applies to the first-year rental fee, with the remaining 75 percent due by January 1, 2027. Annual rental payments are due on or before January 1st each year.

Written questions are due November 13, 2026, with answers posted by November 20, 2026. Site visits are encouraged. Award notification will occur within 90 days of bid opening. The successful bidder must execute the lease and bond within 20 days of official notice. Proposals must be submitted to DNREC at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, Delaware 19901, with public bid opening scheduled for December 8, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.