The ethanol industry received a potential break with Congress’s repeal of a Biden-era federal waiver that would have allowed California to implement an electric vehicle mandate by 2035.
California and eleven other states have now been sent back ot the drawing board on how ot make a shift towards more electric vehicles.
The mandate would have imposed fines as high as $20,000 on purchasers of gas-powered vehicles.
California has called the repeal “unlawful” and has now vowed to sue the Trump administration over the congressional action. Senate Environment Chair Shelley Moore Capito argues that the mandate would have limited consumer decision-making.
“Forcing certain states and certain customers to purchase a vehicle that they may not want or that they can’t find,” she explains. “It really eliminates what I think our country was built on, which is individual choice and making decisions for yourself.”
The repeal is being hailed as a victory by both the ethanol and petroleum industries, as well as many automakers.
Reliable waterways lower costs, protect export demand, and support long-term farm profitability.
January 29, 2026 06:00 AM
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STRAUSS CEO Henning Strauss joined us with a preview of “Meet Strauss: The Tool You Wear,” premiering live tonight at 7:30 ET — only on RFD Network and RFD+
January 28, 2026 05:01 PM
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Mike Steenhoek of the Soy Transportation Coalition shares how extreme winter weather is affecting the ag transportation network and what producers should keep in mind as conditions slowly improve.
January 28, 2026 01:36 PM
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Strong White House backing supports ethanol demand, but timing now hinges on Congress resolving procedural — at the same time as they push toward a spending bill to avert another federal government shutdown.
January 28, 2026 11:35 AM
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Roger McEowen, with the Washburn School of Law, offers an in-depth look at two of the top legal issues of 202. Today, he walks through last year’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) ruling and “lawfare.”
January 27, 2026 02:53 PM
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RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey recently spoke with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas rancher, who says illegal border crossings have dramatically declined in the last year.
January 27, 2026 11:51 AM
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