More Than 2,700 Acres of Illinois Farmland Head to Auction in January
- Media Logic Radio
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Here’s a closer look at the farmland expected to change hands across 15 Illinois counties.
Published on January 4, 2026
More than 2,700 acres of Illinois farmland are set to be auctioned in January 2026 according to data compiled by the Successful Farming® team. Listings range from more than 602 acres in Pike County, which will be divided into five tracts, to a 23-acre property in Adams County, with plenty of recreational opportunities. Here’s a closer look at the farmland expected to change hands across 15 counties.
More than 2,600 acres of Illinois farmland are set to be auctioned in January 2026.
A map with pins located in counties with farmland auctions scheduled for January 2026.
MAP: NATALINA SENTS BAUSCH SUCCESSFUL FARMING, 2026
Pike County
Five tracts of Pike County farm ground, totaling 602.18 acres, will be sold at a live online auction January 15, 2026. These parcels are all outside New Canton, Illinois, not far from the Mississippi River, and within 30 miles of Hannibal, Missouri.
Sullivan Auctioneers will handle the sale on behalf of Kendrick Farms.
Tract 1 is a 74.96-acre parcel that is nearly all tillable. The tract has a productivity index of 130.9. According to Farmers Business Network’s (FBN) AcreVision tool, the county average productivity index is 119.
Tract 2 is a 75.82-acre parcel that is also nearly all tillable. This tract has a productivity index of 126.3. This is above the county average.
Tract 3 is a 37.11-acre parcel. Farm Service Agency (FSA) figures indicate it has 34.56 cropland acres. Of the five parcels, this has the highest productivity index, 131.3.
Tract 4 is a 230-acre parcel, of which, 215.3 are cropland acres, according to the FSA. The average productivity index for this tract is 127.1. A CRP contract is in place for 6.92 acres of this parcel. The contract pays $295.20 per acre and expires September 30, 2032. The remaining acreage, in timber, sloughs, and waterways, provides “outstanding recreational opportunities,” the listing says.
Tract 5 is a 185.29-acre parcel, of which, 148.01 are cropland acres, according to the FSA. The average productivity index across this tract is 117.5, which is slightly below the county average. This tract also includes timber, sloughs, and waterways that provide opportunities for recreation.
Adams County
A 23-acre parcel in Adams County, along the Mississippi, is the smallest January auction the Successful Farming team analyzed. This live online auction will be held January 13, 2026. This tract is just outside of Columbus, Illinois, and northeast of Quincy, Illinois less than 15 miles.
Sullivan Auctioneers will handle the sale on behalf of Georgia C. Bunt and their Power of Attorney, Jeanne Cramsey.
Approximately 13.09 acres of this parcel are cropland, according to the FSA. The productivity index on these tillable acres is 96.7. This is below the county average of 116, according to the FBN’s AcreVision tool.
The rest of the farm comprises timbered draws that would make for excellent hunting, according to the listing.
There are also multiple potential building locations in close proximity, the listing suggested. “This tract would be an ideal place to build a cabin, house or shed,” the auction company wrote.
Whiteside County
Four parcels, totaling 216.08 acres in Whiteside County, will be sold via sealed bid on January 20, 2026. This northwest Illinois farmland is located outside Morrison.
All four tracts have some drainage tile, but no maps are available. Corn PLC yield is 170 bushels, and soybean PLC yield is 51 bushels. The details of soil testing completed in 2024 are available in the listing materials.
Hertz Real Estate Services will handle the sale on behalf of Gordon D. and Paulette J. Zaagman.
Tract 1 is a 56.36-acre parcel that includes 47.91 cropland acres, according to the FSA. The soil productivity index is 98.8. According to FBN’s AcreVision tool, the county average is 122.
Tract 2 is a 50.02-acre parcel that includes 53.23 cropland acres, according to the FSA. The soil productivity index is below the county average at 97.
Tract 3 is a 71.69-acre parcel. All of it is cropland. Of the four tracts, this has the highest soil productivity index, 104.5.
Tract 4 is a 38.01-acre parcel. All of it is cropland, according to the FSA. The soil productivity index is 98.1.
Other Auctions
At least 15 farmland auctions are scheduled to be held across the state in January. Most of them are single-tract sales.
Economic Analysis
According to the USDA “Agricultural Land Values Bulletin,” published in August 2025, the average value of Illinois farm real estate is $8,930 per acre. That’s up 2.6% from 2024.
Bradley Zwilling is the vice president of data analysis for the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association in Urbana, Illinois. In a recent article for Farmdoc, Zwilling wrote, “With lower farm incomes in 2024 and projected for 2025, it is interesting to see another positive increase in 2025. Higher off-farm income, strong debt to asset ratios, and continued outside investor interest may have led to some of this increase.”
ARTICLE: SUCCESSFUL FARMING, JANUARY 5, 2026
