27AL2377 Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area Farm Lease

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is offering a revenue‑generating farm lease for approximately 385 acres of land at the Rice Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area for the 2027‑2031 crop years. The lease will be awarded to the highest‑priced, responsive, and responsible bidder and requires the lessee to manage agricultural operations, adhere to strict conservation and pesticide restrictions, submit detailed annual reports (chemical, fertilizer, seed, soil‑test logs), maintain required liability insurance, and pay lease‑hold taxes. Key contractual obligations include providing a firm per‑acre price, a pre‑payment or irrevocable Letter of Credit each year, and meeting numerous reporting deadlines (e.g., December 15 for tax receipt and logs). The contract term is five years, with no renewal options, and subcontracting is prohibited. • Lease of 385 acres per year (2027‑2031) with an estimated vendor value of ~$307 k per year. • Mandatory annual reporting: chemical/fertilizer/seed logs, soil‑test results, and lease‑hold tax proof by December 15. • Insurance requirements: $1 M per occurrence general liability, $2 M aggregate, $1 M auto liability, workers’ comp as required. • Strict environmental restrictions (no neonicotinoid soybean seed, no dicamba, no bio‑solids, cover‑crop planting, no sub‑leasing).