Farmers are applauding the EPA’s “common-sense approach” to diesel exhaust fluid guidelines

“EPA’s decision to grant a grace period to make repairs or refill DEF is the right thing to do.”

In what is considered to be a win for rural Americans, the EPA says that it will revise diesel exhaust fluid guidelines.
Farmers say it is a common-sense approach to diesel engines.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made the announcement at the Iowa State Fair, where he called on manufacturers to take action to update their software and eliminate the unnecessary sudden loss of power that many had complained of.

It is estimated that the change will save family farms alone an estimated $727 million a year.

The American Farm Bureau Federation is celebrating the decision. AFBF President Zippy Duvall thanked EPA for their common-sense approach:

“When a vehicle runs out of DEF or there is an error in the software, it loses power, causing delays that could be the difference between getting a crop harvested or animals to their destination. EPA’s decision to grant a grace period to make repairs or refill DEF is the right thing to do.”

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