Assembly Bill 805 establishes a new program administered by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide financial assistance to corn producers affected by sandhill crane damage. The program allows eligible farmers to receive reimbursements for up to 50% of the cost of seed treatment registered to deter sandhill cranes from consuming corn seed, with a maximum reimbursement of $6,250 per farm per year. Eligible applicants must have produced at least $6,000 in gross farm revenues in the previous year and can apply for reimbursement between March 1 and June 15 for seed treatment purchased after November 1 of the prior year.

The bill also includes provisions for prioritizing reimbursement payments to applicants who have previously received federal depredation permits or reimbursements, as well as those whose land is particularly vulnerable to crane damage. Additionally, the Department is required to compile an annual report on the reimbursements requested and issued, and it is granted rule-making authority to establish payment prioritization. The bill increases the budget for the program by $85,000 for the fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support the administration of the program.