SCR605 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing the significance of the monarch butterfly and encouraging cooperative, voluntary conservation efforts in South Dakota. (Enrolled)

26.816.17 101st Legislative Session SCR605

2026 South Dakota Legislature

ENROLLED

An Act

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing the significance of the monarch butterfly and encouraging cooperative, voluntary conservation efforts in South Dakota.

WHEREAS, in 2025, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act; and

WHEREAS, the monarch butterfly is a widely recognized and iconic species that contributes to pollination and the overall health of natural ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, monarch butterflies depend upon milkweed plants, which are the only plants on which monarch butterflies lay their eggs and upon which monarch larvae feed; and

WHEREAS, habitat loss, including the decline of milkweed, has contributed to reductions in monarch butterfly populations; and

WHEREAS, lands used for agriculture, transportation rights-of-way, and state management can, when appropriate, provide habitat beneficial to monarch butterflies while continuing to serve their primary purposes; and

WHEREAS, conservation efforts are most effective when they are voluntary, cooperative, and respectful of private property rights and agricultural operations;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Senate of the One Hundred First Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Legislature recognizes the importance of the monarch butterfly and supports voluntary conservation practices that are compatible with agriculture, roadside management, and state land management; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature encourages state agencies, local governments, and other land managers to preserve existing milkweed where practicable, and when undertaking restorative or conservation plantings, to prioritize the use of pollinator-friendly native seed mixes that include milkweed species, consistent with land management goals and available resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Legislature urges federal agencies, including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the United States Department of Agriculture, to work cooperatively with South Dakota landowners, producers, and state agencies in implementing monarch butterfly conservation efforts; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that cooperation in this endeavor should emphasize voluntary participation, technical assistance, and flexibility, and should avoid unnecessary regulatory impacts on agriculture and land use in South Dakota.