Clean Fuels Alliance America welcomed updates to the GREET model released this week for calculating 2023-2024 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blender tax incentives (§40B).

For the first time, these updates recognize the carbon benefits of some of the climate smart agriculture practices that U.S. farmers are already utilizing. However, Clean Fuels urges USDA and Treasury to further update the GREET model to include additional climate smart agriculture practices specific to oilseed crops and quickly finalize rules for the 2025-2027 tax incentives (§45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit), which will support U.S. biodiesel, renewable diesel, and SAF producers.

The American Soybean Association is concerned that the strict guidance could prove to be prohibitive to Northern soy states since the required no till and cover cropping are feasible only for soybean farmers in certain parts of the country.

ASA president Josh Gackle grows beans in Kulm, North Dakota. “For growers like me here in North Dakota, short growing seasons and unpredictable fall weather make the cover crop requirement alone next to impossible. Growers in the Northern Plains do so when possible,” said Gackle. “However, employing both no till and cover cropping is contrary to what Mother Nature will allow, no matter what the guidance specifies.”