(a) The commissioner of natural resources shall study the feasibility of establishing private or public prairie plant seed production areas within prairie land locations. If prairie plant seed production is feasible, the commissioner may aid the establishment of production areas. The commissioner may enter cost-share or sharecrop agreements with landowners having easements for conservation purposes of ten or more years on their land to commercially produce prairie plant seed of Minnesota origin. The commissioner may only aid prairie plant seed production areas on agricultural land used to produce crops before December 23, 1985, and cropped three out of five years between 1981 and 1985.

(b) The commissioner shall compile, prepare, and electronically disseminate to the public prairie establishment guidance materials and resources. The resources must provide information and guidance on project planning, seed selection including ecotype and species mix, site preparation, seeding, maintenance, and technical service providers. The commissioner shall use actual prairie restoration projects under development on state-owned land to illustrate and demonstrate the practices described.