The conversation about how private working lands can help monarchs and pollinators is ongoing and lively. Check here often, as Farmers for Monarchs aims to be a perennial resource for farmers and landowners interested in planting and enhancing monarch habitat. To subscribe to the Farmers for Monarchs newsletter, please click here.
Please note that not all posts are authored by Farmers for Monarchs – a Keystone Collaborative, which is facilitated by Keystone Policy Center. For more information, please contact Matt Mulica.
A Century Farm’s Legacy of Monarch Habitat: The Bumann Family Story
*These videos were produced in collaboration with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium. On a farm in Ida County, Iowa, a family of […]
Pollinator Week: Farmers Speak Up for Monarchs and Other Pollinators
Every year, Pollinator Week brings together growers, conservationists, gardeners, and advocates from across North America to raise awareness for the bees, butterflies, […]
This Mothers Day, Plant Something that Lasts
Flowers have always been how we say I love you in May. But what if this Mother’s Day, the flowers you gave kept blooming […]
New Overwintering Results Show a 64% Increase in the Eastern Monarch Population
New survey results released this week by Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for […]
Spotlight on Partnership and Stewardship: Monarch Conservation in Action
One of the greatest strengths of Farmers for Monarchs is our members. When farmers, conservation organizations, and agricultural companies come together around […]
Western Monarch Count Shows Slight Uptick but Population Remains Near Historic Lows
Each winter, monarch butterflies west of the Rocky Mountains perform one of North America’s most remarkable migrations, traveling to hundreds of overwintering […]
Federal Review of Monarch Butterfly Status Delayed
The federal process to determine what protections the monarch butterfly should receive under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been delayed, according to recent reporting from the Associated Press. […]
Planting with Purpose: Eric Lindberg’s Journey in Pollinator Habitat
Eric Lindberg has always had a deep appreciation for the natural world. A farmer with a background in biology and wildlife management, […]
Final Week to Submit Comments on Monarch Butterfly Listing Proposal
We are now in the final stretch of the public comment period on the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly under the […]
Farmers Need to Hear From Other Farmers
At Farmers for Monarchs, we know that the best conservation stories come straight from the source—you. Whether you’ve enrolled in the Conservation […]
One Month Left to Make Your Voice Heard on Monarch Butterfly Listing
In March, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reopened the public comment period for the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly […]
Public Comment Period Reopened for Monarch Butterfly Listing Proposal
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced today that it will reopen the public comment period for the proposed rule to […]
Final Days to Submit Comments on Monarch Butterfly Endangered Species Act Listing
Barring any decision to extend, the deadline to submit public comments on the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly as a threatened […]
Encouraging Rebound in Eastern Monarch Butterfly Population
The latest annual survey of the eastern monarch butterfly population reveals a significant and hopeful increase, according to World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Mexico […]
How Should Pesticide Use Be Addressed in the Monarch 4(d) Rule? USFWS Wants Your Input
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently proposed listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act […]
Submitting Public Comments on the Proposed Monarch Butterfly Listing: A Guide for Farmers
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act […]
Submitting Comments, Attending Public Meetings: How Farmers Can Engage on the Proposed Listing of the Monarch
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act […]
Farmers for Monarchs Urges Ag Community to Continue Conservation Efforts, Participate During Comment Period as Monarch Butterfly Proposed as Threatened Species
Farmers for Monarchs encourages farmers to continue their conservation efforts for the monarch butterfly following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) […]
After the Decision: How Farmers and Landowners Can Influence Monarch Protection
Listen to the audio article of this blog post This is the third installment of a three-part series detailing the listing process […]
The 4(d) Rule and Critical Habitat Explained: Flexible Conservation Benefiting the Monarch and the Farmer
Listen to the audio article of this post. This is the second installment of a three-part series detailing the listing process under […]
Charting the Monarch’s Future: The ESA Listing Decision and its Impact on Farmers Explained
Listen to the audio article of this post. This is the first installment of a three-part series detailing the listing process under […]
From Bees to Monarchs: Celebrating Pollinator Week and Vision 2040
This post is being shared on both the Honey Bee Health Coalition and Farmers for Monarchs websites to commemorate Pollinator Week 2024 […]
New EPA Approaches Enhance Collaboration and Conservation Efforts for Farmers
New EPA Approaches Enhance Collaboration and Conservation Efforts for Farmers The approaches follow settlement of litigation challenging the agency’s compliance with the […]
2023-2024 Eastern Monarch Overwintering Population Plummets
Recent data from the annual survey conducted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its partners on the overwintering numbers of the […]
International Union for Conservation of Nature Amends 2022 Classification of Monarch Butterfly, Lowers Alarm on its Threatened Status
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a membership union of government and civil society organizations headquartered in Switzerland, […]
Final Monarch Listing Decision Timeline Among Topics Addressed at FFM Plenary Meeting
Where are the monarchs now? The monarch migration is now moving through Iowa and has entered northern Kansas. By the week of […]
Landowners Enrolled in Voluntary Program for Monarchs Receive Protection
Where are the monarchs now? The monarchs are in the middle of their second generation and in their northern breeding area. They […]
The Livelihood of both Farmers and Monarchs Threatened by a Changing Climate
Today is the first day of Pollinator Week, an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed […]
Monarchs and the Endangered Species Act
Where are the monarchs now? The monarchs are well into their northward journey and are being seen as far north as northern […]
No Mow May Gaining Momentum in the United States
Where are the monarchs now? The monarchs are well into their northern migration and can be found throughout the Midwest. Monarchs have […]
Eastern Monarch Declines, Occupied Smaller Acreage of Overwintering Grounds in 2022
Eastern monarch populations saw a 22 percent decrease compared to last year, according to the annual survey released this week from World […]
General Conservation Reserve Program Signup Opens Feb. 27
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) […]
Western Monarch Population Rebound Continues in 2022 but Winter Storms Could Impact Spring Breeding Population
The western monarch population continued its growth in 2022, according to overwintering count totals recently released by the Xerces Society. The 2022 Western Monarch […]
A Farmer’s Perspective on the Conservation Reserve Program
Where are the monarchs now? The monarchs are now overwintering in forests at over 10,000 feet in Central Mexico. They will begin […]
Dormant Seeding: Letting Mother Nature Take the Lead
Farmers know managing land is a year-round endeavor, even during the cold winter months. Winter-like conditions leading to natural freeze and thaw […]
Precision Agriculture and Habitat Establishment
Where are the monarchs now? The first monarchs arrived at their overwintering sites in Mexico on the first of November – just […]
Prescribed Fire is a Great Way to Maintain Pollinator Habitat; But Firebreak Preparation Should Begin Now
Where are the monarchs now? Fall migration is in full swing! Eastern migratory monarchs are beginning to arrive in Mexico. Texas is […]
Don’t Know Where to Start Your Pollinator Project? Call the Pollinator Habitat Help Desk
Where are the monarchs now? The southern migration is well under way, advancing at a pace such that the first monarchs will […]
What You Should Know About Seed Mixes for Monarchs
Where are the monarchs now? Starting now, around the middle of August, butterflies from the northern part of the North American breeding […]
Farmers for Monarchs Provides Simple Reference Document for Pesticide Best Practices
Farmers have successfully implemented sensible monarch conservation principles that also support productive agriculture and livestock operations. Pest management is an important part […]
Report: International Union for the Conservation of Nature Designates Monarch Butterfly as Endangered
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a membership union of government and civil society organizations headquartered in Switzerland, added […]
The first generation of the northern migration have reached their colonization grounds. Follow their journey at Journey North. National Pollinator Week continues […]
Hope Grows with Eastern Monarch Population Holding Steady
In a report released this week from the World Wildlife Fund Mexico (WWF), scientists determined monarchs occupied 2.84 hectares in December 2021, […]
‘No Mow May’ Makes Supporting Pollinators Effortless
One of the many requests the world makes to farmers and other land managers is restoring pollinator populations by implementing pollinator-friendly conservation […]
Minnesota Farmer and Beekeeper Maximizes Acreage for Pollinators
The monarchs coming out of overwintering in Mexico have reached their breeding grounds in the southern U.S. and are nearing the end […]
Stewardship Practices for Planting Treated Seeds
There are a host of stewardship practices deployed by farmers throughout the year that boost crop health and yield while also protecting […]
Western Monarch Populations Rally, Total Nearly 250,000 in 2021
The western monarch population saw an extraordinary rebound in 2021, according to overwintering count totals recently released by the Xerces Society. The […]
General Conservation Reserve Program Signup Opens Today
Signup for the 2022 General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) opens today, Jan. 31, and will run to March 11, 2022, according to […]
Early Sightings Fuel Optimism for Western Monarch Rebound
The official 2021 western monarch tally will not be known until early 2022 but early observations indicate a promising rebound for these […]
Dormant Seeding: An Effective and Economical Approach to Establishing Pollinator Habitat
Throughout the temperate world, Mother Nature’s knack for nurturing and sustaining the life cycle of plants is incomparable. Seasonally, wildflowers and other […]