Created in 2015 by BASF’s sustainability platform, Living Acres, the Monarch Challenge has been a powerful nationwide event with the goal of helping to increase milkweed habitats for monarch butterflies. Milkweed, the essential plant for the monarch butterfly life cycle and the sole food source for the monarch caterpillar, has become less common over the years.
Leaning on the #MonarchChallenge hashtag, the initiative draws on BASF’s expertise in research and development, providing farmers with practical best practices for establishing and maintaining milkweed plants on land not reserved for crops, in play areas of golf courses, and in other agricultural areas.
You can follow this link to sign up to take part this year — you’ll receive free milkweed and our monthly newsletter to get tips on creating your own monarch habitat, as well as farmer features and information on upcoming events.
In 2018, the challenge successfully garnered more than 2,600 farmers, farm families and others interested in monarch conservation, and led to partnerships with more than 70 golf courses. This increased awareness in the challenge helped Living Acres plant over 32,000 milkweed seedlings across the U.S in 2018.
