Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles across North America each year, but their populations have declined sharply in recent decades.
George Kimbrell, co-executive director of the Center for Food Safety, said monarch numbers have fallen by about 90% since the late 1990s. Environmental groups are pushing for stronger federal protections, arguing the species faces growing threats from habitat loss and agricultural practices.
Monarch caterpillars rely exclusively on milkweed, and Kimbrell said widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides, including Roundup, has eliminated large areas of the plant across the Midwest and other agricultural regions.
Kimbrell also pointed to neonicotinoid insecticides, which affect insects' nervous systems and can harm pollinators. He said declines in pollinator populations could have broader implications for food production because many crops depend on pollination.
Environmental groups, including the Center for Food Safety, have sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking a final decision on whether monarch butterflies should receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. Kimbrell said efforts to secure federal protections have stretched on for more than a decade.
Scientists have warned that western monarch populations face a significant risk of extinction in the coming decades without intervention.
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- George Kimbrell, co-director, Center for Food Safety
