The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposed listing the Monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and included species-specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation.

“Today, the eastern migratory population is estimated to have declined by approximately 80%,” FWS said. “The western migratory population has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s, putting the western populations at greater than 99% chance of extinction by 2080.”

The Endangered Species Act affords extensive protections to species the wildlife service lists as endangered or threatened. Under the act, it’s illegal to import, export, possess, transport or kill an endangered species. A threatened listing allows for exceptions to those protections.

The species-specific protections would exempt certain activities, including routine agricultural activities, livestock grazing and routine ranching activities, habitat restoration and management activities and fire management actions.

FWS said those activities may remove milkweed and nectar resources within the Monarch’s breeding and migratory range, but they don’t convert grassland, shrubland or forested habitats or significantly reduce the butterfly’s population.

“We expect localized removal of milkweed and nectar plants will be outweighed by an overall addition of these resources across the landscape, making broadscale public support for monarch conservation vitally important,” FWS’s proposal said.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) said the proposed “threatened” listing decision was long expected and begins a year-long process to determine if FWS’ proposed decision is warranted and what protections may be needed to safeguard Monarch populations.

The process, known as a 4(d) rule, allows flexibility to design a suite of appropriate, effective protections.

“The use of a 4(d) rule acknowledges the work farmers are undertaking to protect the monarch while recognizing the need for flexibility in conservation efforts between diverse regions and crops,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said. “This opens the door for an important dialogue about farmers as caretakers and cultivators of the land. Our farm families treasure that responsibility.”

Farmers’ and ranchers’ voices, along with input from agricultural organizations, will be critical in shaping the final rule.

“Preserving natural surroundings for America’s wildlife has long been a priority for farmers and ranchers. That dedication extends to the Monarch butterfly,” Duvall said. “We look forward to fully reviewing the proposed designation and plan to submit robust comments before the final determination. We are also committed to the larger goal of modernizing the Endangered Species Act to protect wildlife and promote voluntary efforts to preserve at-risk species.”

FWS also proposed designation of about 4,400 acres of overwintering habitat in California as critical habitat for the monarch. The land is located in Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties. Critical habitat designation does not impose requirements on state or private land unless the action involves federal funding, permits or approvals.

According to FWS, monarchs are grouped into two long-distance migratory populations in North America. The eastern migratory population, which crosses through Michigan, is the largest and overwinters in the mountains of central Mexico, while the western migratory population primarily overwinters in coastal California.

Public comments will be accepted on the proposal until March 12, 2025.

FWS will then evaluate the comments and any additional information on the species and determine whether to list the Monarch butterfly.