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White House moves forward regenerative agricultural initiatives

President Trump has signed an executive order prioritizing regenerative agriculture to boost opportunities for farmers.

Speaking at White House event with farmers and ag leaders on Thursday, he said he’s directing his administration to accelerate programs that help improve soil health, resilience, and food security.

“That gives farmers and ranchers the necessary resources to ensure American crops are the healthiest and the most abundant and the most affordable,” he said.

The Advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthening American Farm Resilience order also calls for new research on how farming practices, chemical exposures, nutrition, and human health are connected to be expedited.

U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins also released a final Regenerative Feedstock Rule that establishes a framework connecting production practices to new markets within the biofuels industry for corn, soybeans, sorghum, and spring canola. 

Mitchell Hora with Continuum Ag tells Brownfield the USDA Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator and new 45Z guidance in the announcement have been a long time coming.

“What we need now is the IRS to write the final rule and include the USDA language that we’re talking about today,” he says.

He says farmers can start benefiting this season and potentially change their marketing plans.

“If you still have crop in the bin and you want to try to participate in 45Z, you’re probably going to want to sell it to an ethanol plant or a biofuel producer or to an elevator, and they’re going to sell it,” he says. “But yes, this is absolutely going to disrupt grain supply.”

Growth Energy estimates if 45Z is implemented properly, the tax credit would add $21.2 billion to the U.S. economy and provide farmers a 10 percent premium on corn.

Clean Fuels’ Vice President of Federal Affairs Kurt Kovarik says they’re appreciative USDA was responsive to industry input and simplification of the calculator.

American Soybean Association President and Ohio farmer Scott Metzger says soybean farmers fought hard to improve 45Z to support domestic market growth, and the rule will ensure the credits benefit biofuel producers and the farmers who produce the feedstocks.