Frustrating to Watch: Iowa’s biodiesel industry suffers due to policy uncertainties

The economic uncertainty of today’s ag economy has left biodiesel producers in Iowa struggling.

Biodiesel plants across the state, which were once busy. are now sitting idle.

Plant workers say that several plants were even forced to shut down after the expiration of the biodiesel tax incentive 40A and delayed guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit

The Executive Director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board says that it has been frustrating to watch and says that people behind the facilities are feeling the strain. He says that the federal government needs to put policies in place that support biodiesel production and do not leave producer in limbo.

Related Stories
Border closures tied to the threat of New World Screwworm continue to stall Mexican fed cattle imports, tightening U.S. feeder cattle supplies over time — triggering feedlot closures that hinder herd rebuilding efforts, threaten the beef supply chain, and shrink production while consumer prices stay elevated.
Brooks York of AgriSompo discusses projected prices and how farmers are adapting their crop insurance strategies as the price discovery period comes to a close.
Ranger Road Fire has burned 283,000 acres across Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle and is nearing containment, as ranchers begin assessing cattle and infrastructure losses as they look toward recovery.
Agriculture avoided major disruptions, but trade uncertainty remains elevated.
The debate now matters as much as the policy — market rules and regulatory clarity depend on whether Congress can finish the bill this year.
Fed cattle numbers are down two percent in February, according to the latest USDA report. Marketings fell 13 percent, signaling continued pressure on beef prices in 2026.