BASF Seeks Farm Families to Help Preserve Monarch Habitats

BASF Seeks Farm Families to Help Preserve Monarch Habitats

Russell Nemetz
Russell Nemetz
Hi everybody it's time for your Lane and Livestock Report here on the Ag Information Network of the West-I'm Russell Nemetz.

As monarch butterflies prepare to fly north, BASF is encouraging farm families to provide a layover for these iconic insects by planting milkweed habitats along the migration path as part of the company's Monarch Challenge.

The Monarch Challenge is a program of BASF's biodiversity initiative Living Acres, which seeks to restore the monarch population, by planting milkweed habitats in non-crop areas of a farmer's land. Milkweed is an important part of the monarch's life cycle, as it is the only plant where adult monarchs will lay their eggs. The leaves of the milkweed serve as a main food source for monarch larvae. The Monarch Challenge shares best practices on milkweed development with farmers to help support the monarch butterfly.

Last year, nearly 500 farm families signed up for the Monarch Challenge and received a combined 9,000 seedlings and kits to create their own milkweed plots.

With the success of last year's challenge and the continued interest in aiding these iconic insects, BASF is looking to grow the program to 1,000 farm families in 2018. Now is the time for farm families to get involved with the challenge and receive their own milkweed seedlings to plant this spring. To sign up, visit http://www.monarchchallenge.com/.

That's your Land and Livestock Report-I'm Russell Nemetz.

Previous ReportHay Acreage Projects for 2nd Lowest Harvest Since 1906
Next Report'Meat' Definition Comment Period Extended