BASF Agricultural Solutions North America announced it will donate US$50,000 to The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund’s Seed A Legacy pollinator habitat program. The donation is part of BASF’s annual Living Acres Monarch Challenge initiative.
The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund will use BASF’s donation to expand its Seed A Legacy pollinator habitat program with the goal of restoring high-quality pollinator habitats with free or reduced-cost seeds to landowners across 12 Midwest states.
“Through the Monarch Challenge, we have been focused on helping restore and conserve habitats for the monarch butterfly and other pollinators,” said Paul Rea, senior vice president of BASF Agricultural Solutions North America. “This donation to The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund was a natural fit as they share the same goal of establishing and conserving habitat for pollinators like the monarch butterfly.”
Since its inception in 2015, the Monarch Challenge has resulted in the planting of 110,000 milkweed seedlings and the creation of more than 67,000 pollinator habitats. Eighteen BASF sites have participated with more than 8000 participants who planted milkweed in 39 states.
“We are grateful for the support of BASF and the Monarch Challenge,” said Peter Berthelsen, partnership director at The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund. “Since 2018, we have established more than 440 pollinator projects on more than 4400 acres through the Seed A Legacy program. This is a unique program that offers high-quality pollinator habitats and one-on-one technical guidance. Pollinators and their habitat needs represent the largest conservation movement of my lifetime. Pollinators are a ‘glue’ that connects every important environmental issue of today.”
The fund works with landowners, conservationists, scientists, and other partners to build healthy and sustainable pollinator habitats with maximum benefits. Through the Seed A Legacy Habitat Program, each project receives free or heavily discounted pollinator seed mixes and the guidance to prepare, establish, and maintain the project for a minimum of five years.
“Farmers have the biggest job on Earth,” Rea said. “Pollinators play a key role in helping farmers feed a growing population. BASF does everything we can to support farmers, including the advancement of pollinators, like monarch butterflies, in their work to support farmers.”
As part of the Monarch Challenge, BASF encourages other businesses and individuals to do their part in supporting monarch butterflies and other pollinators, which in turn supports farmers. This support can be in the form of a donation to an organization working to establish or conserve habitats for monarchs and pollinators, planting milkweed seedlings, or other native blooming species.
The Monarch Challenge has inspired increasing numbers of farmers and others to work toward conservation of the monarch butterfly species — all while protecting crop productivity.
“The Monarch Challenge is just one important step in BASF’s sustainable agriculture journey,” said Rea. “We’re using the lessons learned from this initiative to expand our biodiversity and conservation efforts in the future.”
