WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized record Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2026 and 2027, giving agriculture another signal of steady demand from the biofuels sector.
Dr. Faith Parum of the American Farm Bureau Federation said the final rule raises total renewable fuel obligations to 26.81 billion gallons in 2026 and 27.02 billion gallons in 2027, with most of the growth tied to advanced fuels and biomass-based diesel.
The conventional ethanol requirement remains at 15 billion gallons, preserving a major source of corn demand. She also noted that nationwide year-round access to E15 would further strengthen ethanol use by enabling higher blends to be sold more consistently.
The biggest growth came in diesel-related categories. Biomass-based diesel volumes were finalized at 8.86 billion gallons in 2026 and 8.95 billion gallons in 2027, with even higher effective totals following small-refinery exemption reallocations.
Parum said the EPA also changed how small-refinery exemptions are handled by redistributing previously exempted gallons into future obligations. That is intended to keep waived volumes from reducing total renewable fuel demand over time.
For agriculture, the rule points to continued support for corn, soybeans, and soybean oil, while also reinforcing demand for other feedstocks used in advanced fuels. Parum said the final rule gives farmers and biofuel producers more certainty as the market continues to expand.
