The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week released the American Biofuels Trade Outlook, a plan that builds upon 2025’s record U.S. ethanol export performance, removes restrictions to American biofuels, and secures new market opportunities for U.S. farmers. “American farmers are fueling the future, and the American Biofuel Trade Outlook outlines the USDA’s exact plan to ensure that success continues, and …
Farm Bill with E15 Reported Out of Senate Ag Committee
The Senate Agriculture Committee met Wednesday for the first time in over a month to re-vote on the Agriculture Act of 2026 – the farm bill, including E15 – and pass it along party lines by a vote of 12 to 11. Republicans prevailed on the vote this time with the presence of both Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. …
CARB Gets E15 Comments Ahead of Hearing
Ethanol stakeholders provided comments this week to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) ahead of a public hearing next week to consider proposed amendments to the state’s reformulated gasoline regulations to support the voluntary sale of gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol. Comments from the Renewable Fuels Association urge CARB to move quickly to finalize proposed regulations allowing the …
USDA Report Highlights Ethanol Export Wildcards
U.S. ethanol exports set new volume and value records over the past two calendar years and are ahead of last year’s record pace through June of this year, but a new USDA report indicates there are a handful of wildcards that could greatly impact exports throughout the rest of the year. According to a new report from USDA’s Foreign Agriculture …
ACE Welcomes Ben Rhodes to Team with Ron Lamberty
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has announced that Ben Rhodes, currently serving as executive director of the Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB), will become chief marketing officer (CMO) for ACE beginning September 28. At the same time, ACE’s current CMO Ron Lamberty, who has served the organization for more than 25 years, will take on the new title of Chief …
RFA Providing E15 Education for California Retailers
The Renewable Fuels Association was in San Diego, California this week at the annual conference of the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance (CFCA) talking with retailers about the details of selling E15, now that a technicality in last year’s legislation to allow the lower cost fuel has been fixed. RFA has been front-and-center at the CFCA trade show with an …
Study Says Gas Prices Would be Higher Without Ethanol
Nationwide regular gasoline prices over Labor Day weekend 2026 set a new holiday record and crossed $4 per gallon for the first time on Labor Day, but they would be higher if not for ethanol, according to a new study just completed for the Renewable Fuels Association. Prepared by George Hoekstra, a 35-year veteran of the petroleum refining industry, the …
IRS Releases 45Z Tax Credit Guidance
The Internal Revenue Service this week issued long-awaited guidance on the Section 45Z Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit. The guidance includes the technical modeling updates to the 45ZCF-GREET model used to determine emissions rates required under the Working Families Tax Cuts (WFTC) amended and extended section 45Z and implements additional changes including addressing how the annual emissions rate tables work …
E15 Could be Iowa’s Top-Selling Fuel in 2026
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association is projecting that E15 will top E10 to be the number one fuel in Iowa by the end of this year. “It will be close, but E15 is on track to become Iowa’s top-selling fuel for 2026,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “With 46 million gallons in August, Iowa drivers are …
Ethanol Exports Still on Track for Record Year
Ethanol exports were lower in July but remain on target to score another record year. According to the Renewable Fuels Association’s latest Trade Monitor, U.S. ethanol exports were down three percent in July, but the total for the year through July is 1.41 billion gallons, running 13% ahead of the same period last year. Canada remained the leading destination for …

