In The News

Jul 26, 2024

Key Issues: EthanolSustainabilityEthanol Action

Author: Bryan Goodman

The Biden administration should set fair and reasonable criteria around farming practices for farmers and refineries seeking tax credits for sustainable aviation fuels, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said in comments submitted this week to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   “Ethanol has played a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cars and trucks, and we can do the same for the airline industry,” NCGA President Harold Wolle noted after the comments were filed. “But we need a level playing field that allows farmers to meet emission requirements using environmentally smart practices that will work on their farms.”   The issue stems from tax credits allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act for sustainable aviation fuels that would allow farmers to participate in this emerging market.   To produce qualifying fuels under the standards set by the U.S. Department of Treasury, biofuel producers must show they have lowered their carbon intensity...

Jul 18, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Krista Swanson

Scott Gerlt, PhD, ASA Chief Economist Krista Swanson, NCGA Lead Economist Katelyn Klawinsky, ASA Economics Intern   The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in August 2022, created a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. This tax credit, called 40B due to its section in the IRA, is in effect for 2023 and 2024. The 40B credit amount is based on the carbon intensity from a lifecycle analysis for the specific sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) obtaining the tax credit. As such, lower carbon intensity (CI) biofuels receive a larger tax credit than those with higher CI scores[i].   While SAF can be produced from many different feedstocks, both soybeans and corn are options that can be used at scale. One option to lower the CI of the SAF is for corn and soybean farmers to implement specific conservation practices. Unfortunately, the requirements in 40B for conservation bundling severely limit the ability of producers to provide additional carbon intensity benefits to the 40B program....

Jun 26, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the Texas Corn Producers Association (TCPA), along with other groups, filed a lawsuit today in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard for model year 2027-2032 passenger cars and light-duty trucks.   The CAFE rule mandates stringent new standards that appear designed to phase out liquid fuel-powered vehicles. Today’s filing follows two recent lawsuits led by NCGA, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Petroleum Institute and auto dealerships challenging the EPA’s light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle rulemakings.   “Once again, we have a federal agency trying to force a one-size-fits-all solution on the American consumer through the final NHTSA CAFE rule and fuel efficiency standard, which favors electric vehicles,” said Minnesota farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle. “Because ethanol effectively...

Jun 18, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Laura Wolf

The National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association joined the American Petroleum Institute today in filing a lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s heavy-duty vehicle emissions standards for model years 2027-2032.   The groups said EPA exceeded its congressional authority with the regulation with targets that rely too heavily on electrification and do not fully appreciate the role low-carbon fuels like ethanol play in the transportation sector.   “EPA has tried to impose a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing climate change by prioritizing electric vehicles over other climate remedies like corn ethanol,” said Minnesota farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle. “But while it could take decades to get enough electric vehicles on the road to make a dent in GHG emissions, lower carbon fuels such as ethanol are...

Jun 13, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation and six auto dealers representing 16 brands and collectively operating dozens of dealerships in major markets across the country joined the American Petroleum Institute today in filing a lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s light-duty and medium-duty vehicle emissions standards for model years 2027-2032. The groups said EPA exceeded its congressional authority with the regulation and rendered a decision that values one tool for fighting climate change over others.    “By approving tailpipe standards that focus exclusively on electric vehicles, EPA has ignored the proven benefits corn ethanol offers in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combatting climate change,” Minnesota farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle said. “While it could take decades to get enough electric vehicles on the road to significantly lower GHG...

Apr 19, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Bryan Goodman

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it will use its existing authority to prevent drivers from losing access to lower-cost and lower-emission E15, a higher ethanol blend often marketed as Unleaded 88. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and state corn grower organizations, which have advocated for the move, praised the decision “This waiver is good news for corn growers and those in rural America who will benefit economically from this decision and for consumers who will save money at the pump during a busy travel season,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We are deeply appreciative of EPA Administrator Regan, President Biden and our congressional allies for all their work on this issue.” Under current policy, E15 cannot be sold at terminals beginning on May 1 and at retail stations starting on June 1. But the Clean Air Act gives EPA authority to temporarily waive these requirements to address pressing concerns, such as...

Mar 21, 2024

Key Issues: EthanolSustainability

A multi-state coalition of biofuel and farm advocates, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and many state corn advocates, called on President Biden’s Treasury Department to swiftly resolve any questions standing in the way of efforts to scale up U.S. production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Specifically, they urged the administration to quickly adopt the U.S. Department of Energy’s GREET model for the calculation of SAF tax credits (40B) under the Inflation Reduction Act – completing a process that was originally scheduled to conclude by March 1.   “We are disappointed that the administration did not fulfill its commitment to release a modified GREET model by March 1, but we appreciate the importance of getting the modeling right,” wrote 26 organizations across 13 states, including Clean Fuels Alliance America, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Oilseed Processors Association, and the Renewable Fuels Association....

Mar 20, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) expressed grave concern and disappointment today with the Environmental Protection Agency’s final 2027-2032 emissions standards for sedans and light- and medium-duty trucks.   The plan still relies almost exclusively on the use of electric vehicles, requiring that a majority of the specified fleets are electric in less than a decade. A decision of this magnitude will have long-lasting negative implications for the rural economy because it ignores the benefits of ethanol.     “We are deeply concerned and disappointed that EPA has chosen to force a one-size-fits-all solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ignore the readily available solution that biofuels like ethanol bring to the table,” said NCGA President Harold Wolle. “This decision will not only severely hamper the administration’s ability to reach its own climate goals, but it will also hurt family farms and rural communities that rely heavily on the sale of biofuels. On...

Mar 2, 2024

Key Issues: EthanolSustainabilityNew Uses

Author: Bryan Goodman

As Treasury considers how to measure greenhouse gas emissions as it allocates tax credits for sustainable aviation fuels, the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Congress, meeting in Houston, Texas, reaffirmed their support today for the use of the GREET model in making that determination.   “Corn grower leaders across the country have made it clear that the GREET model is the most reliable measure in determining reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as it weighs the environmental impacts from the farm to the car or plane,” said NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We strongly encourage the administration to embrace this model, and its accurate and fair calculation of corn’s environmental picture.”   The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022, calls for the allocation of $1.25 for each gallon of sustainable aviation fuel in a qualified mixture. To qualify for the credit, biofuels must reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50%.   NCGA has...

Feb 22, 2024

Key Issues: Ethanol

Author: Bryan Goodman

The Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it will grant the request by eight Midwestern governors to allow the year-round sale of fuel with a 15% ethanol blend, or E15, in their states beginning in the summer of 2025. The announcement was welcomed by the National Corn Growers Association, which has been fighting to break down barriers to the environmentally friendly biofuels. “We are glad to hear this decision from EPA, as it puts us on the road to providing more certainty to America’s corn growers and consumers who will save money at the pump,” said NCGA President and Minnesota Farmer Harold Wolle. “However, given that this decision will not take effect until the summer of 2025, we question and are concerned about the implications of the timeline for growers and consumers this summer.” The sale of E15 has been banned during the summer months to meet federal clean air standards that have been shown to be unnecessary and outdated. The U.S. EPA has granted waivers...