After almost a decade of discussion, monarch butterflies may soon get federal protection.
The Farm Bureau says that this listing could have a significant impact on agriculture.
According to Shelby Hagenauer, “The Fish and Wildlife Service was under a court order deadline to make a decision by December 4th as to whether the butterfly is warranted to be listed or not, and they propose it to be threatened with what’s called a 4D Rule. That’s really a special rule for management of the species, and it provides for a lot of flexibility, and I mentioned that detail because, depending on how the Fish and Wildlife Service writes a 4D Rule can really impact how landowners are able to use their land if there’s a species on it.”
Hagenauer points out that the proposal has exemptions for routine agriculture and ranching activities.
“But it does have some limitations on that, and the proposal also doesn’t truly address the use of pesticides,” she adds. “Instead, it asks for public input on whether pesticide use should be allowed and if there should be restrictions on it being allowed.”
While the full impact remains unclear, organizations like AFBF are working to craft a rule that minimizes potential effects on agriculture.
