Did you know that monarch butterflies are pollinators? As monarchs forage for nectar, they move pollen within and between flowers, helping flowering plants make seeds, which can ultimately scatter and grow into more plants. Monarch butterfly populations have been in decline in the U.S., and one of the contributing factors is the dwindling number of milkweed plants. Previously considered a problem weed, milkweed is now understood as a critical component in the monarchs’ reproduction cycle and forage.

To support milkweed and preserve biodiversity, BASF introduced the Living Acres #MonarchChallenge initiative in 2015. The #MonarchChallenge provides farmers with practical best practices for growing and maintaining milkweed plants on land not reserved for crops, in play areas of golf courses and other agricultural areas. Since the program’s introduction, BASF has provided more than 80,000 milkweed stems to farmers, golf courses and other agriculture advocates in the U.S. and Canada. More than 5,000 farmers have learned about the #MonarchChallenge and their role in protecting biodiversity, inspiring increasing numbers of farmers to plant milkweed patches that preserve the monarch butterfly species. To learn more about the #MonarchChallenge and BASF’s sustainability efforts, click here.