Western Dubuque Biodiesel announced June 21 it is establishing a Monarch Fueling Station at its plant near Farley, Iowa.

The monarch habitat will be at least one acre in size. The plant will start the process by spraying to eradicate nonnative grasses this summer and again this fall. A dormant seeding of native plants and milkweed will occur this November.

“Part of our mission at Western Dubuque Biodiesel is to create fuel that is environmentally friendly,” said Tom Brooks, general manager at Western Dubuque Biodiesel. “The Monarch Fueling Station Project is a unique way we can continue to do that. With this project we are helping fuel a brighter future for the monarch butterfly and other important pollinators.”

The location and size of the plot was decided in consultation with Kevin Reynolds, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s habitat establishment coordinator.

“Traveling around the state and working with biofuel plants like Western Dubuque Biodiesel, I’ve been privileged to see how passionate they are about what they do and how proud they are of what they produce,” Reynolds said. “As these Monarch Fueling Stations grow, that same passion and community-oriented work ethic will help these projects flourish and make a lasting impact for the monarch butterfly population.”

The Monarch Fueling Station Project was established by IRFA in partnership with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium in December 2017. It is a program to help Iowa’s ethanol and biodiesel plants establish monarch habitat on plant grounds.