The Department of Environmental Protection is putting out to bid an Agriculture Special Use Permit on land owned by the Department and managed by New Jersey Fish and Wildlife. Special Use Permits (SUP) afford more farmers access to agricultural opportunities on State lands. For generations, the Department has worked closely with farmers to the mutual benefit of agriculture, our natural resources, and our resource users.

The SUP will be effective from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029 for a period of five years.

Rental values and minimum bids are based on the soil types of each parcel and calculated using the soil rental rates established by the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (FSA), discounted by 20 percent to take into account disadvantages of farming on public land.

The bid is open to all interested farmers. This is a sealed bid process – farmers may submit only one bid per SUP. The SUP will be awarded to the highest bidder. Bids must be received by 2pm, Friday November 15, 2024.

Instructions for Submitting A Bid

Please review the material contained in the “Bid Information Package”. The bid package will contain:

• A map of the fields included in the Special Use Permit and any in-kind service areas
• The minimum bid based on current soil rental rates
• The in-kind service obligations for 2025
• A copy of the Agriculture SUP that will be signed by the winning bidder

Once you have reviewed the documents in the Bid Information Package, please complete and return the “Bid Form” by the deadline stated above. Bid forms can be mailed, hand-delivered, or emailed to the address listed on the form.

If you have questions, please contact Melissa Woerner at (609) 789-2052 or Melissa.Woerner@njdepwptest.net.

2025 Agriculture Special Use Permit Bid Information Package