Biofuel Becomes an Increasingly Reliable Market for Soybean Growers

With new renewable volume obligations announced this year, the Iowa Soybean Association says they’ll be vital to a farmer’s bottom line.

As soybean growers look for new buyers in the coming weeks and months, biodiesel has proven to be a reliable market. With new renewable volume obligations announced this year, the Iowa Soybean Association says they’ll be vital to a farmer’s bottom line.

On the ethanol side, output has been down lately. Numbers released earlier this month by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show refineries produced at their lowest amount since May.

Related Stories
Decoupled base acres may amplify income inequality and distort planting decisions as farm program payments increase.
From tariff talks in Europe to SCOTUS uncertainty and rising farm losses, analysts say policy and global supply will shape grain markets in the year ahead.
Large Brazilian crops heighten downside price risk if the weather allows production to reach projected levels.
Ethanol and corn groups are not hiding their disappointment over new reports that the bill to allow year-round E15 sales failed as Congress forges ahead on government funding, with another shutdown looming.
Oil-led rallies can move soybean prices quickly, but sustained gains will require continued strength in soybean oil and broader biofuel demand signals.
Analysts say a Supreme Court decision on tariffs could reshape protein markets, strain U.S.-China trade, and force farmers to rethink global demand strategies.
Corn and wheat exports remain a demand bright spot, while soybeans are transitioning into a more typical late-winter shipping slowdown.
Corn growers are turning to ethanol, E15 expansion, and export markets to help absorb record supplies and stabilize prices. Farm leaders discuss low-carbon ethanol demand, flex-fuel vehicle challenges, input costs, and the role of USMCA as producers look for market relief in the year ahead.
From rising trade tensions in Europe to a pending Supreme Court decision on tariffs and shifting demand from China, global trade policy spearheaded by President Donald Trump continues to shape the outlook for U.S. agriculture—adding uncertainty as farmers navigate another volatile year.

Agriculture Shows
The goal of “Where the Food Comes From” is as simple as its name implies — host Chip Carter takes you along on the journey of where our food comes from — and we don’t just mean to the supermarket (though that’s part of the big picture!). But beyond where it comes from, how it gets there, and all the links in the chain that make that happen.
Join markets specialist Scott Shellady, better known as the Cow Guy, as he covers the market-close, breaking down headlines that drive the commodities and equities markets with commentary from respected industry heavyweights.
Crop yield champions David Hula from Virginia and Randy Dowdy from Georgia are back for another season with the aim of schooling more growers across the country in their winning ways.
“Texas Agriculture Matters” is a fun, informative look at the role of agriculture in our daily lives. The show utilizes the trademark wit and wisdom of its host Commissioner Sid Miller — an 8th-generation farmer-rancher and 12-time World Champion rodeo cowboy — to explore a new Texas ag-related topic each week.