SPRINGFIELD – Illinois farmers have lost thousands of dollars’ worth of crops due to nuisance deer without the proper means to deal with them effectively. That will change come Jan. 1, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Patrick Joyce giving farmers the ability to protect their crops before they are damaged.

“As a farmer, I’ve seen firsthand the damage nuisance deer can have on crop yields,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “This law will take a huge weight off of farmers across the entire state.”

The new law addresses multiple issues with the nuisance deer program and deer hunting tags. Under current law governing nuisance deer, a property owner has had to prove each year that there has been damage to property, like destruction of crops, by the deer. Farmers have been requesting a better way to handle this because under the current program, they cannot manage the deer population until after a problem has occurred. Joyce’s law allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to issue deer removal permits based on the percentage of permits redeemed in the previous season by the recipient. The law also allows for an expansion of youth hunting tags from one to two.

“The end result of this law is that farms will have better yields and the consumer will see these benefits at the checkout line,” said Joyce. “We are continuing to make Illinois a great home for farmers.”

Senate Bill 710 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.