Ag Sec. Tom Vilsack releases an interim rule for biofuel feedstocks

In his final days as Ag Secretary, Tom Vilsack has released an interim rule for biofuel feedstocks. The industry has been waiting for the move, and Vilsack says it will put farmers back in the driver’s seat.

One of the most notable changes surrounds the 40-B credit for sustainable jet fuel. USDA has lifted the bundling requirement, something the industry has been asking for. In previous versions, only corn ethanol qualified for the tax credit if multiple scenarios were met. The new rule would also allow sorghum as a feedstock option. Vilsack says these changes should set the industry up on a proper path.

“Agriculture now is in a position to say that if we use corn in this county and we use it in a no-till circumstance, we use the properly timed fertilizer. This is the benefit to the ethanol production facility that we’ll be producing. They, in turn, can document to whoever’s purchasing saf that, in fact, it results in a CI score that is more than 50% efficient relative to current jet fuel.”

This interim rule is open for discussion, and USDA will take public comment for the next 60 days.

Related Stories
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew discusses the urgent need for aid as farm families face mounting input costs and long-term market uncertainty.
The new antitrust agreement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aims to enforce antitrust laws and monitor market activity across the ag sector.
Large carryover stocks continue to put pressure on commodity prices, creating uncertainty for growers looking to market their grain.
Peel says Mexico has a much greater capability to expand its beef industry than it did 20 or 30 years ago in terms of its feeding and packing infrastructure.
Record crops are increasing grain storage needs, prompting safety experts to remind producers of the risk of grain bin entrapment during harvest.
The impacts of the government shutdown have reached commodity growers with crops to move, ag economists monitoring the harvest without key data reporting, and meat producers in need of new export markets.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Market analyst and friend of the show, Shawn Hackett, says Brazil’s shifting use of crops for biofuel production is a significant factor.
The Livestock Conservancy joins us in the RFD-TV Studio to discuss how protecting heritage-breed poultry is essential to resilient food systems and the preservation of agricultural traditions.
Texas A&M livestock economist Dr. David Anderson joins Tony St. James to discuss the geopolitical tensions and U.S.-Mexico border closure that are leading to sharp swings in the cattle market.
Arizona producers are proving that desert farming and water conservation can coexist through technology, reuse, and efficiency — reinforcing both food security and environmental stewardship.
Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), shares his reaction to news of soybean sales to China, which is considered both “welcome news” and a return to near-normal trade relations.