YOUR TEXAS AGRICULTURE MINUTE

Monarch butterfly not landing on federal endangered species list

By Gary Joiner
Publisher

Monarch butterflies continue to migrate through Texas. They’ll land on habitat on many of our state’s farms and ranches during their trips north and south.

Lone Star State farmers and ranchers are thankful the monarch is not landing right now on the federal endangered species list.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced recently it will leave the monarch butterfly off the endangered species list. The service issued a “warranted but precluded” decision, which means the monarch will be considered a candidate species for now. The agency will monitor the health of the monarch butterfly population.

The decision gives more opportunity for public-private partnerships to continue to support and enhance conservation efforts for the monarch.

More than half a million acres across the nation are currently set aside specifically to provide habitat for bees and butterflies. Many of those acres are in Texas.

That’s important, because Texas covers a large portion of the monarch butterfly’s migratory flyway corridor.

An endangered listing of the butterfly would likely have significant impacts on agriculture.

If a listing were to occur, half of the state could be designated as critical habitat due to the expanse of the flyway.

The agency’s decision bodes well for farmers and ranchers working to conserve the pollinator.

The preceding commentary is brought to you by Texas Farm Bureau, the “Voice of Texas Agriculture.” Called “Your Texas Agriculture Minute,” TFB will issue thought-provoking editorials each week—via print and audio—to spark understanding of agriculture in the Lone Star State and its impact on each and every Texan.

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