Farm to Fly Act Reintroduced in House

Cindy Zimmerman

The bipartisan Farm to Fly Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House last week to foster the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) within existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, allow for greater collaboration, and ensure USDA’s SAF definitions reflect eligibility for American agricultural crops.

The bill was introduced by Reps. Max Miller (R-OH), Mike Flood (R-NE), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Mike Bost (R-IL), Don Bacon (R-NE), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Mark Alford (R-MO), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Michelle Fischbach (R-MN). A Senate version was introduced in January by Senators Moran (R-KS), Grassley (R-IA), Duckworth (D-IL), Ricketts (R-NE), Klochubar (D-MN), and Ernst (R-IA).

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper thanked them for introducing the bill. “RFA supports this important legislation, which would bring clarity and stability to the future of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) made from U.S. crops. By affirming SAF’s inclusion in USDA programs and ensuring the best science is used, this bill empowers domestic agriculture to participate in the emerging SAF market.”

SAF was a big topic of discussion at RFA’s recent National Ethanol Conference. Tim Hughes with the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative sat on a panel exploring ethanol’s role in aviation, as well as other heavy duty applications. He believes the opportunities for the sustainable aviation fuel is enormous on both a domestic and global scale.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty here in the United States today on what is going to be the focus of the current federal administration and depending on who you talk to, many people are optimistic,” said Hughes. “Europe, Asia, many other countries have already put the stake in the ground and have mandates in place and UPS, DHL, FedEx, many of these companies that have the international footprint have to meet those objectives. So whether we slow the progress down or hinder it here in the United States, there is an opportunity globally, and I think there’s a great place for agriculture, renewable fuels and specifically ethanol to play a part in meeting that demand.”

Listen to the panel, which also included heavy equipment and maritime opportunities for ethanol.

Ethanol’s Role in Heavy-Duty and Aviation
Brian Olson, ICE and Low Carbon Fuels Product Strategy Director, Cummins Power Systems
Felix Leworthy, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, ETFuels
Holly Mayton, Lead for Research Partnerships and Science Policy, John Deere
Tim Hughes, Project Director, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI)
Moderator: Tad Hepner, VP, Strategy and Innovation, Renewable Fuels Association
RFANEC Heavy Duty and Aviation panel (1:18:05)

Audio, aviation biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, SAF

Ohio and South Dakota to Delay E15 Implementation

Cindy Zimmerman

Now that the Environmental Protection Agency has finally allowed eight states the ability to sell E15 year-round by April 28, two of those states have decided they’re not ready yet.

On Friday, EPA announced it would act on “requests from South Dakota and Ohio seeking a one-year extension of the current implementation date to remove the 1-psi volatility waiver for E10.”

This action follows the February 26, 2025 deadline for states to submit written requests for delay. Kansas, which was not among the eight states addressed in the final rule, submitted a similar request. The agency intends to act expeditiously to delay implementation for South Dakota and Ohio until the spring of 2026. This will be the last year an extension can be provided to any of the eight states addressed in the final rule.

EPA notes that a legislative solution before the summer driving season to allow for the permanent, year-round sale of E15 nationwide is an option being negotiated in Congress. In the absence of congressional action, EPA is still considering issuing emergency fuel waivers to allow the year-round sale of E15. EPA is closely monitoring fuel market conditions and considering potential emergency fuel waivers under the Clean Air Act to prevent supply disruptions and protect consumers from price volatility.

E15, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Liquid Fuel Stakeholders Urge EPA to Set RFS Volumes

Cindy Zimmerman

A diverse group of stakeholders, including petroleum refiners, fuel marketers and retailers, biofuels producers, and farmers, sent a letter to urging Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin urging him to set robust, timely, and multi-year Renewable Fuel Standards for 2026 and beyond.

“Since the enactment of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), our nation has benefited from increased energy security, an enhanced agricultural industry, and lower carbon fuel options,” the groups write. “We believe strong, steady volumes for conventional biofuel targets, biomass-based diesel, and advanced fuels would more accurately reflect the availability and ongoing investments in feedstocks and production capacity. Additionally, it would reflect the increased demand in new markets, such as marine, rail and aviation. Our industries will work to continue providing liquid fuels with the significant renewable fuel volumes that our country needs to fuel American growth.”

The letter was signed by nearly a dozen stakeholders, including the American Petroleum Institute, Advanced Biofuels Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, Clean Fuels Alliance America, Growth Energy, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Association of Truck Stop Owners, Renewable Fuels Association, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers.

At the National Ethanol Conference last week, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said EPA is already far behind schedule in setting the 2026 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) which should have been finalized by November 1 of last year. “So, Trump’s EPA will need to work very quickly to get the 2026 RVOs proposed and finalized in time for next year,” said Cooper. “EPA should also continue the practice of issuing RVOs for multiple years all at once to provide more certainty for all supply chain participants. Exactly where the future RFS volumes for each category should be set is currently the subject of much conversation and analysis within the industry. But one thing is clear: if we are to be successful, stakeholders representing agriculture, ethanol, biodiesel, petroleum, and retail will need to be as aligned as possible in our advocacy efforts.”

RFA CEO Geoff Cooper, Industry Address (35:56)

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Clean Fuels Alliance, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA, RFS

EU Court Dismisses SAF Challenge by Biofuels Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

The General Court of the European Union this week moved to dismiss a challenge against the ReFuelEU Aviation regulations brought by European biofuel producers ePURE and Pannonia Bio which asserted the EU’s sustainable aviation fuel regulation improperly discriminates against crop-based biofuels. The court ruled they did not have the right to bring the challenge.

The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, U.S. Grains Council, and LanzaJet joined together last May to intervene in support of the European biofuel interests. But because the underlying challenge was dismissed, the objections to the EU regulation raised by the U.S. groups were not considered by the court.

In a joint statement, the organizations expressed disappointment in the decision and “strongly disagree with its finding that biofuel producers in the EU and United States—who manufacture the renewable fuels that become SAF—are somehow not harmed or affected by the EU’s unfair and unscientific SAF requirements.”

By essentially banning crop-based SAF from qualifying, the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation harms ethanol and SAF producers around the world by denying them access to an emerging low-carbon fuel market. And, because commercial aviation is a global marketplace, the EU regulations also have extraterritorial effects on operations outside of Europe.

aviation biofuels, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

NASDA Adopts Pro-Biofuels Policy

Cindy Zimmerman

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) members voted this week at their Winter Policy Conference to amend the organization’s biofuels policies to increase support for domestic and global demand for American produced biofuels.

“NASDA recognizes the importance biofuels play in the future of agricultural production, energy independence and our economy,” NASDA CEO Ted McKinney said. “State agriculture departments see greater demand for biofuels as a win-win for their mission to enhance agricultural production and strengthen rural economies across the nation.”

NASDA’s new policy states that the organization supports efforts to increase production of biofuels, expanding the range of biofuels to include renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuels and other emerging energy products. In addition, the policy calls for NASDA to become more involved in helping to eliminate trade barriers to increased international demand for U.S.-produced biofuels.

The policy also reaffirms NASDA’s support for the Renewable Fuels Standard and calls for the organization to support the year-round sale and use of E15 fuel.

The amended policy maintains the organization’s commitment to investing in biofuels research and responsible Clean Air Act emission standards.

Ethanol, Ethanol News

OAL Rejects Portions of CARB LCFS Amendments

Cindy Zimmerman

California’s Office of Administrative Law (OAL) last week notified the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that recently adopted amendments to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) were being rejected, preventing the changes from taking effect. According to CARB, the rejection was due to “inconsistencies of specific regulatory amendment provisions with the clarity standard.”

CARB has 120 days to revise and resubmit the proposal to address deficiencies identified by OAL. Until then, the current LCFS regulations remain in place while CARB navigates the approval process. Depending on the extent of the required revisions, CARB may seek public input.

“Our team is dedicated to engaging with CARB to ensure that the latest science informs clear, effective regulations that support the biomass-based diesel industry and market stability,” said Jeff Earl, Director of State Governmental Affairs at Clean Fuels Alliance America, “We will continue to keep our members and stakeholders informed as new developments emerge.”

The notice was made public last week during the National Ethanol Conference and Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper told reporters, “Usually the OAL sort of takes their 30 days and then they rubber stamp regulations given to them by CARB. They didn’t do that this time.”

Cooper speculated that the rejection could be related to cost concerns. “We’ve been saying all along that approving E15 in the state of California would help address some of the concerns about costs,” he said.

Listen to Cooper’s comments on the CARB issue starting at 12:00 in this press interview.
RFA CEO Geoff Cooper, press avail (25:22)

Audio, Carbon, Clean Fuels Alliance, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Ethanol Pioneers Get Back to Their Roots at #RFANEC

Cindy Zimmerman

From left: Geoff Cooper, Dave VanderGriend, Todd Brown, Karol King, Rodney Jorgenson, Rod Gangwish

One of the most interesting panels at the 30th National Ethanol Conference was Back to the Beginning: Celebrating Our Roots where we heard from some of the pioneers who founded the modern-day ethanol industry.

From Dave VanderGriend, who founded the design-build firm ICM, Inc. in 1995, to board members of four of the nation’s oldest ethanol plants, they told the tales of triumph over adversity in the early years. Al-Corn Clean Fuel was founded in 1994, Dakota Ethanol in 1999, KAAPA Ethanol in 2001, and Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) in 2005, and all of the board members on the panel were with them from the start. Some of them, like Karol King with SIRE, go back to the earliest days of the 1970s and gasohol.

“I was in Iowa Corn Growers for several years when we worked to get the check off passed with the goal to promote ethanol fuel,” said King. That led to getting involved in the National Gasohol Commission to promote and study the use of gasohol, which had representation in the mid-70s from 26 states. “It was a short-lived group, but it served it’s purpose” working with the Carter administration and helping shape policies like the Energy Security Act of 1980.

Rod Jorgenson with Al-Corn Clean Fuels talked about the significance of the “Minnesota Model” in moving the ethanol industry forward in the ’90s. “The Minnesota Model was a private-public partnership with the goal to add value back to the farm and offer some economic stimulus for development in rural Minnesota,” said Jorgenson. That led to the farmer co-op model to get funding for plants to be built and become operational and, in return, the state would partner with the plant and provide a return on their investment per gallon of production.

Todd Brown with Dakota Ethanol says corn growers developed a plan to grow the industry in South Dakota. “They started a corn investment fund of a million dollars and what they were going to do was invest it in a company and once the plant got up and running, they asked for it back and took it to the next plant, and the next plant…and it turned out to be very successful.”

Listen to this fascinating walk down memory lane with:
Dave VanderGriend, CEO, ICM, Inc.
Karol King, Board Chairman, SIRE
Rodney Jorgenson, Board Member, Al-Corn Clean Fuel
Todd Brown, Board Member, Dakota Ethanol, LLC
Rod Gangwish, Board Member, KAAPA Ethanol Holdings LLC
Moderator: Geoff Cooper, President and CEO, Renewable Fuels Association
RFANEC Back to our Roots Panel (101:36)

Interview with Karol King, Board Chairman, SIRE
SIRE board chair Karol King (5:23)

2025 National Ethanol Conference Photos

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

Larson Engineering Attends NEC to Promote Acquisition

Cindy Zimmerman

Don Berg and Doug Edwards, Larson Engineering

Larson Engineering recently announced the acquisition of Fagen Engineering the engineering arm of construction company Fagen, Inc., and attended last week’s National Ethanol Conference to introduce themselves to the industry.

Doug Edwards needed no introduction since he has been in the ethanol industry for a long time, having managed Fagan’s engineering office in Greenville, SC for the last 17 years. “There’s been a lot of smaller engineering firms that have sort of sprung up to try to support the industry with upgrades and modernizations but we, as Fagan Larson, want to step back in and try to reclaim a good bit of that business,” said Edwards.

Larson director of corporate business development Don Berg says like Fagan, Larson is a 100 percent employee-owned company and they are retaining all of Fagen Engineering’s employees. “I think it really does help us attract talent and retain talent and the teamwork that we’ve seen because of this, everyone really does care. The bottom line, because our employees are owners, we think that’s key to our continued growth.”

The acquisition stemmed from Larson’s more than 20-year working relationship with Fagen, as well as interest in the team’s specialized ethanol and biofuel plant and carbon capture expertise. “It fits into our strategic 10 year plan which is to grow revenues by 25% and we looked at how to do that. And one of the things that came up was acquiring someone and since we’ve worked over 20 years with Fagan, it just made sense,” said Berg.

“We were somewhat worried when we were looking to make a merger that we’re going to get consumed by one of these big 5000 man engineering firms and we were just going to disappear,” added Edwards. “Larson was just the right size. They are good people to work with.”

Larson Engineering - Don Berg and Doug Edwards (10:08)

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference

RFA-Sponsored Angler Wins Major Event

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association is proud to celebrate a major win for professional bass angler Ryan Armstrong, who used his E10-powered boat to secure first place at Major League Fishing’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals – Stop 1 in Kissimmee, Florida.

Sponsored by RFA, Armstrong dominated the competition while showcasing the exceptional performance of E10 in marine applications.

“The RFA simply couldn’t be more proud of our sponsored bass angler, Ryan Armstrong,” said Robert White, RFA’s Senior Vice President of Industry Relations & Market Development. “Ryan’s no-quit determination and ability to adapt on the water are a testament to his skill and hard work. His success not only highlights his talent but also provides a powerful platform to showcase the performance and reliability of ethanol-blended fuels in boats and the sportfishing world.”

Armstrong credited RFA and ethanol producers for fueling his journey to victory. “I wouldn’t be here without the support of ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Association,” Armstrong said. “This is the best start possible for the 2025 season, and I look forward to further representing corn farmers and ethanol producers across the country, demonstrating that ethanol-blended fuels not only fuel boats, but fuel championships!”

RFA has been sponsoring fishing and boating events for many years to educate water sports enthusiasts about the use of 10% ethanol blends in marine engines.

Ethanol, Ethanol News, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA

NCGA President Hopeful for Year-Round E15

Cindy Zimmerman

It’s been 15 years since E15 was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in most vehicles on the road today, yet it is still not available nationwide on a year-round basis.

“And you know when you think about it’s ridiculous,” said Illinois farmer and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kenneth Hartman Jr. at the National Ethanol Conference last week. He is hopeful Congress will be able to get legislation passed that will remedy that situation once and for all. “It’s a no cost situation in the bill. It’s good for the consumer because it’s ethanol is running 20-25% cheaper than regular gasoline. It’s good because we got plenty of corn out here right now to produce it and it’s good for the environment. We don’t understand what the problem is.”

NCGA is calling on farmers to add their signatures to a letter in support of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act which was re-introduced in the House and Senate. “As traction continues to build on this issue, it is critical that corn growers make their voices heard, encouraging Congress to approve legislation to unlock access to E15 year-round,” Hartman said.

There will be year-round E15 in at least eight states as of April 28, thanks to final EPA approval of a waiver requested by Midwest governors. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency’s decision Friday to uphold that implementation date to provide parity for E15 and E10 in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

In this interview, Hartman also talks about farm bill prospects, and the upcoming Commodity Classic next week in Denver.
NCGA president Kenneth Hartman (5:43)

2025 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, corn, E15, Ethanol, Ethanol News, National Ethanol Conference, NCGA, Renewable Fuels Association, RFA