NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD NEWS) — According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. ethanol production moved slightly higher in the week ending May 1, even as gasoline demand and exports eased. Output rose 0.8 percent to 1.02 million barrels per day, equal to 42.71 million gallons daily. That was 0.3 percent below the same week last year but 3.4 percent above the five-year average.
The longer-term pace was weaker. The four-week average ethanol production rate slipped 2.2 percent to 1.05 million barrels per day, equal to an annualized 16.09 billion gallons. Ethanol stocks also inched higher, rising 0.5 percent to 26.0 million barrels.
Inventories were 3.3 percent above a year ago and nearly 12 percent above the five-year average. Stocks increased in every region except the East Coast, showing supply remains comfortable even with production still running near the one-million-barrel mark.
On the demand side, gasoline supplied fell 3.2 percent to 8.81 million barrels per day, a four-week low. Refiner and blender net ethanol inputs also declined 1.6 percent, while exports dropped 18.2 percent to 139,000 barrels per day.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Ethanol plants kept production steady, but softer gasoline demand and lower exports may limit near-term momentum.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, provides new updates on winter storm impacts and the outlook for rural power reliability.
January 30, 2026 02:59 PM
·
Strong rail demand and higher fuel costs raise transportation risk even as barge and export flows stabilize.
January 30, 2026 02:21 PM
·
Traders say that shift could eventually prompt the USDA to scale back soybean export projections, noting the outlook differs greatly for other grain commodities.
January 30, 2026 01:13 PM
·
The federal government’s status is far from the only factor moving the markets on Friday. Two critical reports released today on producer inflation and the status of the U.S. cattle herd are also top of mind.
January 30, 2026 12:51 PM
·
Record milk output looks strong today, but shrinking replacement numbers mean future supply adjustments could be faster and more volatile.
January 30, 2026 11:44 AM
·
Often overlooked, cotton wholesalers act as stabilizers during market stress, translating fragmented retail demand into workable production programs for mills and manufacturers.
January 30, 2026 08:00 AM
·
