Last week, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order to Advance Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthen American Farm Resilience. To coincide with the Presidents Executive Order, Secretary Brooke L. Rollins introduced a final Regenerative Feedstock Rule, a landmark action that will help farmers voluntarily capture new value from regenerative agricultural practices through biofuel markets.
Since then, here’s some of the overwhelming support from across the country:
Congress
Senator Chuck Grassley – “New biofuel feedstock rule is good step that empowers farmers and helps make clean fuels tax credit work better for them. At the hearing, this month I asked OMB nominee when farmers should expect this news so thank you for putting the rule out.”
Senator Roger Marshall – “The new Regenerative Feedstock Rule from USDA allows Kansas farmers to profit from the soil health practices that many already use on their operations— built on market opportunity, not government mandates. That’s putting Farmers First and exactly where MAHA meets ag.”
Representative Jim Baird – “Attention Hoosier farmers! Secretary Rollins and USDA announced a final Regenerative Feedstock Rule that will help farmers access the biofuel market and create more opportunities for American biofuel producers. Glad to see this move from USDA that will strengthen Indiana agriculture and American energy dominance.”
Representative Eli Crane – “GREAT NEWS FOR ARIZONA FARMERS!Following President Trump’s executive order advancing regenerative agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new Regenerative Feedstock Rule, which will allow farmers to benefit from the 45Z tax credit – passed by Congress as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. This will unlock billions of dollars for America’s farmers.”Representative Pat Harrigan – “USDA’s new Regenerative Feedstock Rule is welcome news. It puts the 45Z tax credit Congress passed to work, helping create new market opportunities for producers who qualify and opening the door to premium biofuel markets for crops grown here in North Carolina. North Carolina’s farmers don’t need more bureaucracy. They need more customers, stronger markets, and more ways to earn from the work they’re already doing.”
Representative Randy Feenstra – “I applaud President Trump and Sec. Rollins for releasing the Regenerative Feedstock rule and to ensure that farmers can see more benefit from biofuels policy like 45Z or year-round E15. These actions create new opportunities for our farmers, strengthen American energy independence, and ensure rural communities across Iowa continue to lead the way in feeding and fueling the world.”
Representative James Gallagher – “Our family farms are the foundation of healthy food and healthy soil. The announcement of this program is the key to supporting our farmers, improving the vitality of our farmland, and producing healthy food for America.”
Stakeholders
American Soybean Association – “ASA applauds Secretary Rollins and USDA for finalizing the Regenerative Feedstock Rule, which will unlock a new premium soybean market by empowering farmers to produce value-added biofuel feedstocks using on-farm conservation practices,” said Scott Metzger, ASA president and farmer from Williamsport, OH in a press release. “Domestic markets, bolstered by biomass-based diesel industry expansion, improve basis and expand a reliable, local customer base for our soybeans. Soybean farmers fought hard to improve 45Z to support domestic market growth for U.S. soy, and for the first time ever, the USDA Regenerative Feedstock Rule will ensure that the 45Z biofuel tax credit will not only benefit biofuel producers, but the farmers who produce homegrown regenerative biofuel feedstocks.”
Clean Fuels Alliance America – “Clean Fuels and its members thank Secretary Rollins for finalizing rules that will help farmers get more value from the expanding domestic market for biomass-based diesel,” said Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels vice president of federal affairs, in a press release. “We appreciate USDA’s responsiveness to industry input and simplification of the calculator. We look forward to future updates that will provide farmers additional feedstock and regenerative agricultural management options.”
Growth Energy – “Thanks to the leadership of Secretary Rollins and her team at USDA, we are one step closer to ensuring farmers are recognized for their innovation and regenerative farm practices in the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit,” said Emily Skor, Growth Energy CEO, in a press release. “Linking this rule to 45Z is critical for delivering more value to farmers, many of whom are already using regenerative practices. We applaud the Trump administration for finalizing this rule, and we look forward to working with the Departments of Energy and Treasury to finally connect the dots and unleash new investments in rural America and homegrown biofuels.”
Iowa Corn Growers Association – “For years, Iowa corn farmers have led the nation in adoption and implementation of conservation practices, and today’s USDA rule provides a framework to reward conservation-minded farmers who are stewards of the land,” said Mark Mueller, ICGA President and farmer from Waverly, Iowa in a press release. “This new rule is an important step forward, and we believe it will help jumpstart opportunities for growers who are committed to doing what’s right for the land and the environment, while being recognized for their efforts.” Looking ahead,IGCA “looks forward to collaborating with USDA to maximize the opportunities this rule creates for farmers across Iowa,” the release said.
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association – “This rule is a great step forward from the draft rule, providing greater flexibility for farmers to adopt the practices that make the most sense for their farm,” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw in a press release. “The benefits of recognizing regenerative ag practices ripple throughout rural America. Farmers can benefit from adopting these practices. Biofuels producers can benefit from sourcing low-CI feedstocks and accessing massive new markets around the globe. And maybe most importantly, biofuels production will now be the single biggest driver of regenerative ag practices that improve water quality throughout rural America. And this should just be the start. Over time, we hope that additional regenerative ag practices and additional biofuels feedstocks will also be included.” IRFA noted this rule is important and necessary, but “not the final piece of the puzzle.” Looking forward, “…the priority becomes the Department of Energy expeditiously incorporating this tool into the agency’s 45Z GREET model,” said Shaw. “Then, the Treasury Department must immediately recognize that updated model in time for farmers to make decisions this fall. It may seem a little early when this year’s harvest isn’t even out of the ground yet, but many farmers will already be making decisions by August that will impact the CI of next year’s crop.”
Renewable Fuels Association – “We appreciate all the hard work that Secretary Rollins and the entire USDA team put into these guidelines and the updated calculator tool,” said Geoff Cooper, RFA president and CEO, in a statement to members of the media. “America’s farmers are the most efficient in the world, and USDA’s rule begins to provide a mechanism that finally quantifies and recognizes the environmental benefits of cultivation practices that are already widely in use. While we are still analyzing the final guidelines and [feedstock CI calculator] tool, it appears several important changes have been made. We look forward to continuing our work with USDA, as well as DOE and Treasury, to ensure farmers and biofuel producers have access to flexible, market-based solutions for integrating the benefits of lower-carbon feedstocks into their supply chains.”
Pivot Bio – “America’s farmers have always been the world’s greatest innovators,” said Chris Abbott, Chief Executive Officer of Pivot Bio. “When they have access to new technologies and better science, combined with the freedom to choose the practices and tools that work best for their operations, they consistently produce more while using resources more efficiently. We welcome the administration’s efforts to accelerate innovation, strengthen public-private collaboration and help ensure American agriculture remains the most productive and resilient in the world.
“The USDA’s final rule represents the kind of science-based policymaking that farmers and agricultural innovators need,” Abbott said. “By recognizing biological fertilizers and other advanced nitrogen management tools as creditable low-carbon practices, the USDA has sent a clear message that innovation that genuinely reduces emissions and improves farm economics will be valued and rewarded. That is exactly the right policy direction.”
Marquis – “Marquis commends the Trump Administration for the release of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) final rule on regenerative agriculture practices – We thank President Trump and Secretary Rollins, the Administration, and the entire team at USDA for their leadership and tireless work on this project that will support the farmers we work with every day at Marquis. These actions put farmers first and advance policies that support long-term profitability, build new market opportunities, improve soil health, and lower input costs through innovative regenerative agriculture practices. For years, farmers have invested in practices that make their operations more efficient and sustainable. – America’s farmers are ready. Today, the Trump Administration and USDA have shown how America’s farmers will continue to lead through innovation with investment into resilient and regenerative soils for generations to come.”
National Sorghum Producers – “National Sorghum Producers thanks Secretary Rollins and USDA for recognizing the role farmers play in building strong domestic energy markets and creating new opportunities for value-added agriculture,” said NSP Chair Amy France, a sorghum producer from Scott City, Kansas. “Sorghum is well positioned for this moment. Our producers have long understood the value of efficiency, resilience and practical conservation, and this rule is an important step toward ensuring those practices can create real market opportunities at the farm gate.”
National Corn Growers Association – “We appreciate the administration’s recognition of the value biofuels provide for our country’s energy supply and security. -We also appreciate the administration’s recognition that farmers have always cared for their land. -As noted by USDA, it’s also true we have embraced for years many practices that are considered regenerative, with nearly 70% already implementing at least one practice. Thanks to wide-scale adoption of precision agriculture tools by corn farmers, we are more efficient and effective with our resources than ever before. We welcome further investment in this space that will continue our ability to efficiently produce food, fuel and fiber for our world. -We look forward to closely reviewing the Regenerative Feedstock Rule.”
Press Coverage
Iowa Capital Dispatch – “USDA’s finalized rule could boost adoption of regenerative farming practices. Corn and soybean farmers can now quantify carbon intensity of crops bound for biofuels.”
RFD-TV – “The White House says the order is intended to provide farmers and ranchers with the resources needed to keep crops healthy, abundant, and affordable. At the same time, the USDA finalized a new feedstock rule that will allow farmers to earn more for using regenerative agriculture practices.”
The Fence Post – “In a sign of the importance President Trump attaches to the Make America Healthy Again movement, the Health and Human Services Department and the Agriculture Department both announced late Thursday that Trump signed an executive order titled ‘Advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthening American Farm Resilience.’ The announcements came the same day Trump hosted farmers at a White House dinner.”
