New Study Shows Economic Power of U.S. Corn

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A new study released by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) shows corn farming is a major engine for the U.S. economy, generating $123 billion in total economic output last year, with an estimated contribution of $50 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 2024, U.S. corn farmers produced 14.9 billion bushels of corn for grain valued at $64.7 billion.

The study, entitled The Economic Value of Corn Farming in the United States for 2024, also shows that corn farming supported over 440,000 jobs and provided $29 billion in wages, strengthening communities in rural America and across the entire nation.

The contribution of corn farming and linkages extended across 506 different industry sectors in all 50 states. Even Hawaii and Alaska benefit from corn farming. The states with the least economic impact from corn are actually Rhode Island and Vermont with $6.4 and 7.3 million in economic output respectively. Not surprisingly, Illinois and Iowa are the top two states, with $18.5 and 19.2 billion.

“Corn farming’s economic value could be even greater if corn growers were able to fully contribute to the domestic fuel supply via increased ethanol blends and access to additional export markets,” said NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr.

Corn grower leaders have been advocating for Congress to pass legislation that would allow for the nationwide, year-round sale of fuel with a 15% ethanol blend. They have also worked to make an aviation fuel tax credit accessible so that ethanol and other biofuels could be used in the aviation sector. And NCGA has called on the administration and Congress to aggressively pursue new and expanded foreign markets for American corn exporters.

corn, Ethanol, NCGA

California Budget Includes E15 Funding

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California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a $321 billion budget on Friday that allocates dedicated resources to fund the rulemaking process needed to make E15 a legal fuel, ensuring that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has the financial support necessary to finalize regulatory work related to E15 and help expand consumer access to the fuel across the state.

California remains the only state where E15 is not yet legally available, and Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says this is a positive step toward expanding access to the lower-carbon, lower-cost fuel option. “With this funding in place, California will finally be positioned to join the rest of the country in offering drivers a cleaner, more affordable choice at the pump,” said Cooper.

At the same time, California Assembly Bill 30, known as the Ethanol Blend Implementation Act, awaits action in state senate where it will need a two-thirds majority vote to pass. AB 30 would allow gasoline blends containing up to 15% ethanol by volume to be sold in California for use as a transportation fuel, bypassing existing restrictions and taking effect immediately upon passage, as the bill is designated as an urgency statute to address high gasoline prices.

In a recent Ethanol Report podcast, Cooper talked about what passage of that legislation could mean for California drivers in low prices, for retailers already equipped to sell E15, and for the ethanol industry which stands to increase demand by as much as 700 million gallons long term.

Listen to Cooper’s comments here:
RFA CEO Geoff Cooper on California E15 potential 3:45

Audio, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Helps Lower Summer Gas Prices

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

According to the White House, Americans are seeing the cheapest summertime gas prices since 2021 — more than 20 cents less than last year at this time – and a new study shows ethanol is helping to keep gas prices lower.

The study was done by energy researcher George Hoekstra of Hoekstra Trading who analyzed the economics of substituting ethanol for refinery-derived gasoline, considering the effects on both octane value and energy content and estimating the cost of refinery-derived octane to be 4.5 times higher than that of ethanol-derived octane.

Hoekstra concludes, “The energy equivalent substitution to a level of 10 percent ethanol implies that ethanol is adding a net of 39 cents/gal worth of octane to the U.S. E10 gasoline pool. To say this another way, if ethanol was removed from the U.S. gasoline pool, replacing its current octane contribution with refinery octane would increase refining cost and the wholesale cost of gasoline by 39 cents per gallon or $54 billion/year.”

Hoekstra also estimated that the cost savings per gallon of finished gasoline increase as ethanol content increases. The study found that using blends like E15, which are becoming more widely available in the U.S. market, results in even larger savings. The study was commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). “As our nation again prepares to celebrate its freedom on July Fourth, this report demonstrates the enormous value of American-made ethanol in promoting energy independence,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Blending low-cost ethanol into gasoline is a proven strategy for reducing fuel prices and strengthening the U.S. market’s resilience against global supply chain disruptions.”

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Senate Urged to Adopt House 45Z Provisions

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Biofuel interests are urging the Senate to adopt the House approach when it comes to the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit.

The legislation released by the Senate Finance Committee last week would extend the 45Z credit, which the industry supports, but at the same time would allow imported feedstocks to qualify for up to 80% of the credit, after the House version prohibited foreign feedstocks outside of North America from qualifying.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says they are concerned this would allow potentially fraudulent feedstocks, such as used cooking oil (UCO) from China that may include palm oil. “So we are encouraging the Senate to really just follow what the House did on how to address foreign feedstocks,” said Cooper in the latest Ethanol Report podcast. “We’re not saying you can’t import UCO and make it into renewable fuel, we’re just saying that fuel should not qualify for a U.S. tax payer-supported program.”

Cooper thinks it’s “highly unlikely” the One, Big, Beautiful Bill will be finished by the stated July 4 deadline. “We think there’s a long way to go before we see a final bill,” Cooper said. “Sometime in July, before August recess, seems more likely, but even that’s really going to put Congress under that gun to get agreement on some of the more controversial issues.”

Like the House bill, the Senate Finance Committee version includes an extension of the tax credit from 2027 to 2031, but it also includes a provision that cuts the maximum rate of the 45Z credit for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from $1.75 per gallon to $1 per gallon, which could impact SAF growth.

aviation biofuels, biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, SAF

2025 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Breaks Records

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Crowd enters the expo hall at 2025 FEW – BBI Photos

The 2025 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (FEW), held this month in Omaha welcomed nearly 2,500 attendees, 370 exhibitors, 150 speakers, and over 575 biofuel producers, representing 94% of U.S. installed ethanol production capacity.

With representation from 45 U.S. states, eight Canadian provinces, and 30 countries, this year’s FEW achieved its highest attendance in 15 years, and the largest share of production capacity ever assembled at the event.

“The turnout, excitement and large number of new technologies at this year’s FEW reflect the ethanol industry’s vital role in advancing U.S. energy policy,” said John Nelson, chief operating officer of BBI International. “The discussions in Omaha underscored how domestic ethanol production continues to support energy independence and strengthen rural economies.”

In addition to the robust main agenda including four program tracks, the 2025 FEW featured two co-located events, the Sustainable Fuels Summit and the Carbon Capture & Storage Summit, which brought even more technical depth and cross-sector engagement to the event.

The 42nd Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo is scheduled for June 2–4, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, FEW

RFA Urges E15 Deregulation to Lower Pump Prices

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Amid fears that Middle East conflicts could lead to higher fuel prices, the Renewable Fuels Association is urging President Trump to eliminate some of the burdensome regulatory roadblocks that are preventing broader use of 15% ethanol blended fuel, E15 or Unleaded 88.

RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper sent a letter to President Trump noting that the U.S. currently has record-large ethanol inventories and underutilized production capacity due to artificial barriers that are blocking access to the domestic marketplace.

“Today, the United States has a seasonal record volume of ethanol sitting in storage,” wrote RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper, also noting that the industry has 130,000 barrels per day of idled production capacity. “Meanwhile, ample domestic grain supplies are available to support expanded ethanol production, and farmers are projected to harvest a record-large corn crop this fall. Unfortunately, however, outdated regulatory barriers are blocking larger volumes of ethanol and fuel blends like E15 from reaching the marketplace. Unwarranted regulatory burdens are preventing American consumers from experiencing the full cost-cutting benefits of ethanol. With your leadership, these barriers can be swiftly removed.”

Cooper outlined five steps the administration could take immediately to allow gas stations to utilize their existing equipment to offer lower-cost E15 to American drivers:
1. Eliminate E15 Misfueling Mitigation Plan requirements.
2. Establish a presumption of E15 compatibility for all fuel dispensers, underground storage tank systems, and hanging hardware installed after 1998.
3. Continue issuing emergency fuel waivers through September 15, allowing E15 to be sold throughout the summer.
4. Provide a safe harbor provision for retailers who act in good faith and follow EPA guidelines on the storage and distribution of E15 in existing equipment.
5. Provide technical assistance for state and local authorities having jurisdiction to quickly adopt or codify changes that allow E15 to be distributed in existing infrastructure, if required by state or local code.

“Knocking down regulatory barriers and allowing E15 to be stored and distributed in existing infrastructure will lower fuel costs for Americans and strengthen the market’s resilience against global supply disruptions,” Cooper concluded.

E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

KSU Research Could Lead to Pig Poop-Powered Planes

Cindy Zimmerman

Pigs may not be able to fly, but their poop could help power planes in the future as a Kansas State University engineer is researching the production of aviation fuel precursors from swine waste.

The project focuses on anaerobic membrane reactors, or AnMBRs, as a viable platform to recover and valorize swine waste streams through co-fermentation into short- and medium-chain organic acids, which ultimately can be transformed into synthetic aviation fuel.

Prathap Parameswaran, recipient of the Fornelli Engineering Professorship and associate professor of civil engineering in K-State’s Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, received a more than $600,000 grant from BioMADE, a Manufacturing Innovation Institute sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. Parameswaran will collaborate on the project with Iowa State University, which is leading the project, and Quasar Energy Group.

“Our role in this project is to validate the use of anaerobic membrane reactors as a platform for transforming these waste products, including fats, oils and greases, into biomanufactured aviation fuel precursors,” Parameswaran said. “We are essentially running pilot-scale production of this novel technology, while conducting the vital research and development to validate its versatility and scalability.”

The fuel precursors being created by Parameswaran’s team will be separated and purified before being transformed into synthetic aviation fuel by ketonization and hydrodeoxygenation processes.

“Synthetic aviation fuels are a strategic resource for the U.S. Department of Defense,” Parameswaran said. “While there are other ways to turn waste into fuel, many rely on federal incentives or are inefficient. Use of anaerobic membrane reactors shows real potential as a promising platform, it just needs to be piloted effectively.”

Read more from KSU.

aviation biofuels, SAF

U.S. Ethanol Industry Provides Expertise to Southeast Asia

Cindy Zimmerman

RFA’s Cassie Mullen (far right) with U.S. Grains Council trip to Vietnam and the Philippines.

Members of the ethanol industry recently joined the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) on a strategic mission to Southeast Asia (SEA) to provide support for ethanol policy and technical advancement in Vietnam and the Philippines.

The delegation included Renewable Fuels Association Director of Market Development Cassie Mullen who joined government officials, oil companies and local industry leaders for two technical fuel workshops in Ho Chi Minh City and Manila. The workshops are part of the U.S. ethanol industry’s broader strategy to provide technical support, foster policy development and reinforce ethanol’s role in clean transportation and energy diversification across the region.

In Vietnam, the U.S. delegation partnered with the Vietnam Petroleum Association (VINPA) to attract more than 120 delegates for a day-long session on best practices in retail infrastructure, fuel dispensing technology, ethanol supply chain integrity and consumer sentiment. Presentations by U.S., Vietnamese and Singaporean experts provided evidence that higher ethanol blends such as E10 are compatible with current infrastructure and consumer vehicles, especially motorcycles, which dominate Vietnam’s transport fleet.

The delegation then traveled to Manila for the Philippines E20 Retail Fuel Workshop convening roughly 100 fuel retailers, technical advisors, policymakers and downstream fuel industry players to address implementation strategies for the E20 discretionary policy promulgated in 2024 that allows for the sale of E20 gasoline alongside the existing E10 mandate.

The workshop solidified the U.S. ethanol industry’s technical leadership role in supporting fuel policy evolution and reinforced the local industry’s growing confidence in the long-term feasibility of E20 fuel blends.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Exports, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, technology, USGC

Ethanol Report on EPA RVO Proposal and SCOTUS Ruling

Cindy Zimmerman

The ethanol industry is welcoming two major wins in the past week – EPA’s release of proposed renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and 2027 and the Supreme Court ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is the proper venue for legal challenges to small refinery exemption (SRE) decisions.

In this edition of “The Ethanol Report” podcast, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper provides details on both actions and explains how they help provide more certainty for ethanol producers going forward.

Ethanol Report 6-19-25 21:00

The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

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Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Supreme Court Rules on Small Refinery Exemptions Case

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Supreme Court today issued its opinion that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is the proper venue for legal challenges to small refinery exemption (SRE) decisions.

The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy presented oral arguments to the Supreme Court regarding the case on EPA’s behalf and urging the court to reject the argument by refineries that would allow them to “forum shop” for more favorable venues to challenge recent SRE denials despite clear direction from Congress that those decisions should be adjudicated in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

In a joint statement, the ethanol groups said the decision is a “victory for the American biofuels industry and for the rural communities that depend on a strong Renewable Fuel Standard.”

The Court agreed with our argument that the D.C. Circuit is the only appropriate venue for litigation on EPA’s small refinery exemption decisions. Because the Renewable Fuel Standard is a national program and SREs have nationwide impacts, any challenges to SRE decisions belong squarely in the D.C. Circuit. Allowing 12 different Circuit Courts to adjudicate SREs would result in a fractured and inconsistent body of law, causing chaos and confusion in the marketplace. The court’s opinion today gives farmers and ethanol producers much greater certainty about SRE litigation under the Renewable Fuel Standard, which continues to be one of the nation’s most successful clean energy programs.

EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA