Ethanol output is the highest it’s been in almost a month!

Refineries have been busy lately pumping out ethanol. Numbers this week show the highest output levels in nearly a month.

The Energy Information Administration has ethanol output up around two percent last week. The Midwest was the largest-producing region, with output there up a little more than two percent. While production is up, inventories are down, dropping five percent during the same time, which is the lowest inventory levels since early January.

This week, the Renewable Fuels Association thanked the more than 20 House members who sent a letter to the President, urging him to allow year-round sales of E15. Group President Geoff Cooper thanked them for the support and said they want the Administration to take quick action.

Cooper says extending E15 sales can bolster U.S. energy resilience while lowering costs for drivers.

Related Stories
Payment totals alone do not show financial stress — production costs and net losses complete the picture.
Year-round E15 remains on the table, but procedural caution and competing regional interests pushed action into a slower, negotiated path.
A mid-January winter storm delivered snow, ice, and extreme cold to a broad swath of the U.S., disrupting transportation, stressing livestock systems, and adding cost and complexity to winter farm operations as producers look toward spring.
Heavier weights and strong late-year slaughter supported December production, but lower annual totals highlight ongoing supply tightness heading into 2026.
Junior Livestock Champions Grand Champion Market Steer, topping out at $320,000

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, addressing SNAP spending, tariff threats against Europe, market reactions, and the upcoming USMCA review.
From meatpacking settlements to landmark NEPA rulings, Roger McEowen outlines the top legal developments in 2025 that will shape agriculture in the years ahead.
Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation joined us to review new policies and regulations supporting the dairy industry and what they mean for the year ahead.
Despite rising costs and growing food insecurity, meat demand remained strong in 2025 as higher-income consumers offset cutbacks elsewhere. Economists break down the K-shaped economy, upcoming USDA cattle reports, livestock production outlooks, and renewed debate over beef imports and country-of-origin labeling heading into 2026.
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.