More Than 1,400 Acres of Illinois Farmland is Expected to Change Hands in April

According to data compiled by the Successful Farming team, more than 1,400 acres of Illinois farmland are set to be auctioned in April 2025. Listings range from single tracts of 25.5 acres to a multi-parcel auction of 200 acres. Here’s a closer look at the farmland expected to change hands across 13 Illinois counties.

Pike County

The largest Illinois farmland auction of the month is set to take place in Pike County where three tracts of land totalling 200 acres will be available for sale in-person or online on April 8, 2025. Adam Crist, a land broker and shareholder of Peoples Company, said “all three tracts will be sold on a per-acre basis and will be offered through the ‘Buyer’s Choice Auction Method,’ whereas the winning bidder may elect to take, in any order, one, two, or three tracts for their high bid.”

Peoples Company will handle the sale on behalf of the Gray Land Trust.

The three tracts are similar in size, with two tracts offering 80 acres, and one tract offering 40 acres. Overall, there are 198.61 cropland acres spread across the three tracts. The Productivity Index (PI) ranges from 120.9 to 128 across the lots.

The farm has a cropping history of corn and soybeans and has been in the Gray family for generations, Crist said. “In speaking with the previous tenant,” Crist said, “he mentioned [the land] averaged around 220 bushels per acre (bpa) for corn and 65 bpa for soybeans.”

Recent comparable sales in the area have ranged from $10,000/acre to upwards of $15,000/acre, Crist said. “We expect to be among the top tier of comparable sales,” he said. This is because “high-quality, tillable land in Pike County rarely comes for sale. This is a very high-quality, highly desirable farm in a great farming area with numerous grain marketing opportunities nearby.”

Crist said interest has been strong and he expects a full room of bidders at the Hull Community Center on April 8. “We anticipate that local buyers, regional buyers, and out-of-state buyers will participate in the auction,” he said.

Henry County

In Henry County, one 40.38-acre land sale will take place in an online auction on April 4, 2025.

Leezer Farmland Sales will handle the sale on behalf of the Jane A. Tornquist Rev. Living Trust.  

John Leezer, a designated managing broker for Leezer Farmland Sales, said the Tornquist Farm has had a corn and soybean rotation throughout its cropping history. There are 40.38 tillable acres with a PI of 139.1. The average PI for the county, according to the Farmers Business Network’s (FBN) AcreVision tool is 126.97.

Currently, Leezer said there has been significant interest from prospective buyers in the land. 

According to AcreVision, the value of cropland acres in Henry County were estimated to average $15,051.77 per acre as of Jan. 31, 2025. This is up 5.46% compared to one year ago in the area.

Leezer said that he’s optimistic that they’ll exceed the estimated $15,051 per acre for this sale. 

The 2025 lease on the land has already been terminated, leaving the lease open for prospective buyers for the 2025 crop year, Leezer said.

Other Farmland Sales

At least an additional 15 farmland auctions are expected to be held across the state in April. Method of sale ranges from in-person to online. 

Several auctions boast high PI ratings, and one features land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program with an income of $6,082 annually.

One land sale also includes a two bedroom, one bathroom house.

These auctions are primarily in the western half of the state, with a few taking place in the south-central part of Illinois.