News

Farmers to EPA: release RVOs on time

The administrator of the U.S. EPA said the agency is taking a closer look at how often Renewable Volume Obligations are adjusted under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Lee Zeldin told farmers at a Missouri roundtable “we’re debating right now. There are internal conversations on whether to set it to two or three years.”

Warren Stemme, who farms in St. Louis County, told Zeldin updating the RVOs every two years and on time is important, because uncertainty is causing biodiesel production facilities to close.

“It’s kind of a perfect storm between the RVOs being wrong and late, and late guidance on the 45Z tax credit.”

Terry Schwoeppe from Franklin County also said it will be difficult for farmers to sell crops domestically in a trade war without an increase in RVOs and a robust RFS.

The biofuels industry says they are expecting a proposed rule on the 2026 RFS this spring and the final RFS volumes in place by the end of this year.

Photo credit: Missouri Soybeans