Washington, D.C. Dec. 15, 2020. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) today announced its finding that adding the monarch butterfly to the list of threatened and endangered species is "warranted but precluded.” With this decision, the monarch butterfly will remain a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and will have its status reviewed each year until it is no longer a candidate.

The American Soybean Association (ASA) supports the decision to further monitor the health of the monarch butterfly population and supports voluntary as well as incentive-based policies to ensure these pollinators are protected. Soy growers across the country understand the importance of pollinators and are committed to implementing voluntary sustainability and conservation practices on their operations.

As a member of the Monarch Collaborative, ASA supports policies and grassroots efforts to reestablish milkweed and other habits along field edges, in buffers around waterways and in other strategic locations. In a recent internal survey, ASA Directors reported adopting practices on their farms to protect the habitats of monarchs and other pollinators, including conservation efforts to plant habitat and reduced mowing in areas where milkweed and flowering plants thrive.

ASA supports growers taking proactive, voluntary steps to protect pollinators, along with prioritizing research, programs and grower education efforts that aid in the improved health of pollinators and their habitats.

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