The U.S. Department of Agriculture received lots of input from biofuels groups this week on how to prove the impact of climate-smart farming practices on the greenhouse gas (GHG) net emissions estimates associated with the production of domestic agricultural commodities used as biofuel feedstocks, in response to a Federal Register request last month. The Request for Information is expected to …
Renewable Diesel Growth Impacts Feedstock Trade
USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) reports that tremendous growth in demand for renewable diesel over the past few years is resulting in significant impacts to global feedstock trade. Renewable diesel, like biodiesel, is produced from the same renewable feedstocks such as vegetable oils, animal fats, or used cooking oil (UCO). The difference is that renewable diesel is produced using a …
Ethanol Exports Bright Spot in USDA Outlook
The latest USDA export outlook has overall agricultural exports expected to be lower this year, but one of the bright spots in the forecast is ethanol, according to USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer. “For ethanol, we’re talking about a $3.5 billion export value rising to $4 billion in 2024,” said Meyer. “That’s about a 15 percent increase year over year …
GREET Model Update Expected Tuesday
The Biden administration is expected to finally release on Tuesday the long-awaited update to the GREET model to determine eligibility for feedstocks to make sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), according to news reports. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was in Michigan last week with House Agriculture Committee Member Elissa Slotkin to discuss various issues, including the pending GREET model changes. Brownfield …
USDA Awards $43 Million in HBIIP Grants
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania this week to announce that USDA is awarding more than $43 million in grants through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to business owners to increase the availability of domestic biofuels in 15 states and give Americans cleaner, more affordable fuel options. HBIIP provides grants to fueling station and …
RFA Concerned About Loss of USDA Reports
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is urging USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to reconsider its plan announced last week to discontinue all County Estimates for Crops and Livestock beginning with the 2024 production year. “With the rapid emergence of state and federal climate policies that will compel ethanol producers to carefully track certain feedstock characteristics, the availability of robust …
WASDE Increases Corn for Ethanol Use
USDA’s April World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) released Thursday forecasts greater corn used for ethanol and feed and residual use and smaller ending stocks. Corn used for ethanol is raised 25 million bushels to 5.4 billion based on data through February from the Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production report and weekly ethanol production data as reported by the …
New USDA Under Secretary Excited to Help Rural America
The recently confirmed USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development told ethanol supporters last week that he is excited about the programs they have to help the people in rural America. “One thing that I really want to make clear that I bring to this position as Under Secretary each day is my passion for rural America,” said Dr. Basil Gooden …
Biden Administration Delays GREET Model Revision
Officials from the Biden administration faced over 11,000 farmers and agricultural industry representatives today at the Commodity Classic in Houston and announced that they will miss a self-imposed March 1 deadline to complete modifications to the GREET model for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). “We’re going to take a few more weeks – and I mean weeks, not months – to …
EPA Announces E15 Waiver Approval for 8 States in 2025
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday approval of requests from state governors to remove the 1-psi volatility waiver for gasoline-ethanol blends containing 10 percent ethanol in their states, but delays the effective date to April 28, 2025. “After review of the emissions modeling results presented by the governors in their requests, EPA is removing the 1-psi waiver in the following …