Monday August 11 Ag News - NACAA Recognizes Leslie Johnson - Ag Sec visits ENREEC - RFS 20th Anniversary - RVO '26 and '27 Comments - and more!

 Extension Educator Receives Award From the National Association of County Agriculture Agents

NE Extension Educator Leslie Johnson received the achievement award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents. She was given the award during the 2025 Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference on July 1.

The Achievement Award is given to members with less than 10 years of service who are selected by their peers for outstanding education programs.

Individuals selected represent the top one percent of the membership.

As the animal manure management Extension educator, Johnson serves the entire state of Nebraska and beyond. She is based at the Haskell Ag Lab near Concord.
She engages producers during annual land application (manure) training workshops and other manure programming across Nebraska. She maintains the online manure course, authors publications and regularly publishes articles at manure.unl.edu.

Johnson serves on multiple regional and national teams and boards, including the livestock and poultry environmental learning community, the Soil HealthNexus and the North American Manure Expo. She is known locally and nationally for her hands-on teaching techniques.



New App Feature Supports Timely Irrigation Decisions
Gary Stone - NE Extension Educator

In April 2025, we launched the first version of our mobile irrigation management app, PLAN. At the time of release, we promised that an irrigation scheduling tool would be made available, specifically designed for producers who don't have access to soil moisture probes. We're thrilled to announce that this scheduling feature is now live and ready for use by all Nebraska producers. This CropWatch article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to help you navigate this new tool within the app.

Brief Introduction: How It Works
This scheduler operates on a water balance model — imagine your soil as a bucket that expands as your crop grows. To prevent water stress, the tool maintains soil moisture depletion at no more than 40-50% of the bucket's capacity. The system estimates root development (which determines your soil "bucket" size) and calculates crop water use by determining crop coefficients based on days after planting (DAP) and reference evapotranspiration data from the nearest Nebraska Mesonet weather stations. The tool requires two key inputs: irrigation applications, which you'll need to enter manually as they occur; and rainfall data, which is automatically retrieved from nearby Mesonet weather stations. 

Cropwatch article describing new app
https://cropwatch.unl.edu/no-sensors-no-sweat-new-app-feature-supports-timely-irrigation-decisions/

Please note that this scheduler provides estimates of crop water use at your field location and may not always be completely accurate. For example, if your field is located 20 miles from the nearest weather station, rainfall measurements may not accurately reflect conditions at your specific location. 

As we continue to improve the app, we welcome your feedback. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments about your experience using the scheduler.

We gratefully acknowledge the Nebraska Mesonet for providing essential weather data and ongoing support. We also thank our funding partners, including the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission and the National Science Foundation (Award Number 2420405), for their generous support that made this project possible.



Silage S.A.F.E. – Safety, Application, Feed and Employees
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Riverside Headquarters, 106 S Main Street, Beemer
Meal:  6:30 pm
Program:  7:00 pm

Speakers:  Evan Weborg and Aaron Yoder 
Evan will talk about safety, new silage technologies, testing capabilities and drone usage for measurement. 
Aaron will update you on the Feedyard 15 Program, a free safety training curriculum that is available to cattle feedyard operations. The program addresses critical safety issues commonly found in feedyard operations.

Sponsored by:  TH4AJ Enterprises | Travis, Heidi and Jaleigh Hallsted
RSVP to Bonita 402-450-0223 or blederer@necattlemen.org

 

NE Corn Board to Meet

The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at the Bayer Water Utilization Center (76268 Hwy 47) in Gothenburg, Neb.

The meeting is open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment. The board will conduct regular board business.

A copy of the agenda is available by writing to the Nebraska Corn Board, 245 Fallbrook Blvd. Suite 204, Lincoln, NE 68521, sending an email to renee.tichota@nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2676.

The Nebraska Corn Board is funded through a producer checkoff investment of a one-cent-per-bushel checkoff on all corn marketed in the state and is managed by nine farmer directors. The mission of the Nebraska Corn Board to increase the value and sustainability of Nebraska corn through promotion, market development and research.




Dig Into Better Yields and Healthier Soils at UNL's 2025 Crop Production and Soil Health Clinic

Participants examine soybean plants for pest damage during a hands-on activity at a crop clinic.
Dig into Nebraska-specific strategies for better yields and resilient soil. The 2025 Crop Production and Soil Health Clinic returns Aug. 28 with in-field demos, expert insights, and CCA credits.
Growers examine plant injury at various crop growth stages during a Nebraska Extension clinic.  

What if one day in the field could change the way you manage your crops — and your soil? Join Nebraska Extension on Thursday, Aug. 28, for the Crop Production and Soil Health Clinic, a hands-on, research-based event focused on improving corn and soybean profitability through regenerative farming practices and better soil management.

Held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, this full-day clinic will feature in-field demonstrations, interactive sessions and expert insights on weed management, soil health, digital agriculture, nutrient efficiency, and more. Designed for producers, crop advisors, agronomists and ag professionals, the program offers real-world tools to address herbicide resistance, reduce input costs and build more resilient cropping systems.

Each topic is tailored to Nebraska conditions, offering region-specific strategies and take-home practices grounded in the latest university research. Whether you're already using cover crops or looking to refine your nitrogen plan, this clinic provides timely, field-tested information you can apply immediately.

Agenda Highlights
    “Corn and Soybean Growth: What Have We Seen in 2025” — Jenny Bhrel and Aaron Nygren
    “Soil Health Tools and Data: Practical Assessment and Interpretation” — Caro Córdova
    “Innovations in Mechanical Weed Control: Roller Crimping and Robotics” — Farmer and industry reps
    “Biochar Effects on Soil Fertility and Crop Yields” — Britt Fossum and Michael Kaiser
    “Plant Pathology Updates” — Amy Timmerman
    “Beyond Cereal Rye: Summer Annuals as Cover Crops” — Katja Koehler-Cole
    “Optimizing Irrigation for Maximum Water Use Efficiency” — Bruno Lena
    “Insect Management” — Justin McMechan and Matheus Ribeiro
    “Nitrogen Management and the 4Rs” — Javed Iqbal
    “Weed Science” — Stevan Knezevic

ENREEC is located at 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, Nebraska.

Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits will be available in multiple categories, including soil and water management, nutrient management and integrated pest management. The program also offers a valuable opportunity to network with extension educators and other growers throughout the region.

Registration is $75 with CCA credits or $35 without, and includes lunch and reference materials. The event will be held rain or shine. Please register by Wednesday, Aug. 21.

To reserve your spot or learn more, visit the registration page https://cvent.me/WMzLdk. 



Ricketts Leads Bipartisan Resolution Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard

Recently, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, led a bipartisan resolution celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).  The resolution was co-led by Senator Amy Klobuchar with Representatives Max Miller (R-OH-07) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13).  Ricketts is a longtime champion of renewable fuels, leading yearly resolutions designating May as Renewable Fuels Month and biofuel market expansion legislation.

“The Renewable Fuel Standard is one of the federal government’s most successful clean fuels policies,” said Senator Ricketts.  “For two decades, renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel have saved consumers money, supported Nebraska agriculture, cleaned our environment, and unleashed American energy.  I appreciate my colleagues’ support for this resolution.”

“For two decades, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been one of the most successful federal fuels policies improving energy security, lowering consumer fuel prices, creating good-paying jobs in rural America, and boosting the farm economy,” said Rep. Miller, the resolution’s lead in the House. “I’m proud to join the effort to drive energy dominance and economic opportunity here in Ohio and throughout the nation.”

Co-sponsors of the resolution include U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representatives Max Miller (R-OH-07), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Adrian Smith (R-NE-3), Angie Craig, (D-MN-2), Mike Flood (R-NE-1), Don Bacon (R-NE-2), Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-1).



Fischer, U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins Visit UNL ENREEC Facility

Saturday, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins held a roundtable discussion with U.S. Representatives Adrian Smith (NE-03), Don Bacon (NE-02), Mike Flood (NE-01), and Nebraska ag stakeholders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC) facility. The group also toured the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center and held a press conference to answer questions.

The roundtable discussion focused on the need to expand market access for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers and the efforts of Congress and the Trump administration to tackle issues impacting ag producers in Nebraska and across America. 



IOWA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION WELCOMED U.S. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE BROOKE ROLLINS

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins at this year’s Governor’s Charity Steer Show at the Iowa State Fair. Along with Governor Kim Reynolds, Sec. Rollins’s attendance underscores her ongoing commitment to supporting farmers and producers across the U.S. and spotlights the value of Iowa’s cattle industry. No stranger to cattle shows, Sec. Rollins will be the first sitting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to participate as a celebrity showman in this year’s Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show.

The Governor’s Charity Steer Show held at the Iowa State Fair brings together thousands of Iowans to not only raise money for a worthy cause, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, but to showcase Iowa’s cattle producers and an industry that provides significant economic value to our state. Sec. Rollins will join Governor Reynolds and 23 other celebrities for the entirety of the steer show and auction.

“The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is proud to welcome and host Sec. Rollins as a participant in this year’s Governor’s Charity Steer Show,” said Bryan Whaley, CEO of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. “We look forward to having her in the show ring, but more importantly, to allow her time to connect with our members as well as the youth involved in the show. Her presence brings national recognition to Iowa’s cattle producers and the value of our commodity not only to Iowa, but across the nation.”

This year’s Governor’s Charity Steer Show was held Saturday, August 9th in the Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair. For more information, please visit www.iowagovernorscharitysteershow.com.  



Secretary Rollins Announces USDA Presidential Appointments, Naming Full Slate of Under Secretaries

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced President Trump’s nominations of key USDA leadership at the Iowa State Fair. This rounds out the senior leadership of USDA.  

“America’s farmers and ranchers have a fighter and a friend in the White House and we have announced a top-notch team at USDA who have hit the ground running and are executing President Trump’s America first vision. Glen, Mindy, and Yvette are proven leaders who will serve America well at USDA, ensuring the American people have restored trust in our services and they will drive policy that increases rural prosperity. When our farmers and ranchers succeed, all of America succeeds,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “At USDA we are ensuring American agriculture will be strong, secure, and resilient by safeguarding our food supply, strengthening critical infrastructure, and defending U.S. agricultural innovation from foreign adversaries. We need all of our Senate confirmed nominees in the building as soon as possible, we have no time to waste to save our family farms.” 

Glen Smith Nominated for Under Secretary of Rural Development 
The Hon. Glen R. Smith of Atlantic, Iowa has been nominated by President Trump to be the next Under Secretary for Rural Development at USDA. He has spent most of his life in rural America, engaged in farming and agri-business. In recent years, Glen has served on the Board of Directors of the Farm Credit Administration in Washington D.C. He is a graduate of Iowa State University. Glen and his wife Fauzan have four grown children and six grandchildren.  

Dr. Mindy Brashears Nominated for Under Secretary for Food Safety 
Dr. Mindy Brashears has been nominated by President Trump to serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety, overseeing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). She previously served as both Under Secretary and Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety under the first Trump administration from 2019-2021. Dr. Brashears has served as a longtime professor of food microbiology and food safety in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University and has over 25 years of experience in food safety research. She was raised on a farm in west Texas, where her family has been involved in farming and ranching for three generations.  

Yvette Herrell Nominated for Assistant Secretary of the Office of Congressional Relations  
Born and raised in New Mexico, Yvette Herrell is a proven job creator and public servant, starting several small businesses before being elected to the New Mexico Legislature, serving from 2011-2018. In her time representing the 51st District in Santa Fe, Yvette led the fight for less government overreach and pro-growth policies. In 2020, Yvette was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for New Mexico's Second Congressional District. Yvette served on the Natural Resources Committee, with appointments as the Vice Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources and a member of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. She also served on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.  

Neal Robbins Appointed Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development 
Neal Robbins will serve as Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development. Neal is a native of Asheboro, North Carolina with degrees in chemical engineering, business and law. Robbins has extensive public and private sector experience in manufacturing, rural economic development and financial transactions. Robbins previously served in the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. He is a graduate of NC State University and Wake Forest University. 

Anthony Priest Appointed Chief of Staff for the Rural Housing Service 
Anthony J. Priest will serve as Chief of Staff for the Rural Housing Service Administrator within the Department of Agriculture.  Anthony's career has encompassed various roles and industries, including, Chief Operating Officer, Project Manager, and Manufacturing Engineer, spanning real estate development, product development and education.  He is a graduate of Georgia Tech, the Harvard Business School and the University of Virginia. 

Michael Pape Appointed Chief of Staff for the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service 
Michael J. Pape is serving as Chief of Staff for the USDA Rural Utilities Service.  Michael has devoted more than three decades to public and private service, passionately advancing policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening the United States.  With a deep commitment to principled leadership and community values, Michael brings over 30 years of experience to the U.S. Department of Agriculture grounded in a lifetime of public service and a belief in American exceptionalism.  Michael worked over 21 years as the District Director for Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-01)where he championed common sense policies for agriculture, energy, telecommunications, transportation, healthcare and many other issues impacting rural communities in Kentucky.  He has also been a staunch advocate for value added agriculture including biofuels and for strong safeguards to protect America’s food security from foreign threats. 

Anna Pilato Appointed Chief of Staff for the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement 
Anna Pilato is serving as the Chief of Staff in the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement.  In her previous role, Ms. Pilato consulted with Healthcare Sharing Ministries and was Director of Federal Public Policy for the Christian Medical and Dental Associations. Previously, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Senior Advisor, External Affairs at the Administration for Children and Families, during the first Trump Administration. Prior to that, she was in Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s Administration as Deputy Secretary for the Kansas Department for Children and Families. She was an appointee during the George W. Bush Administration, managing critical administration and communications functions at the White House, and later as the Director of the Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives at HHS. 

Jason Allen Appointed Senior Advisor for the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement   
A native of Northern Michigan, Allen grew up working in his family’s men’s clothing store. His career in public service began at the local level, serving on the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners. From 1999 to 2003, Allen represented his community in the Michigan House of Representatives, followed by two terms in the Michigan Senate from 2003 to 2011. During his time in the legislature, he was a strong advocate for rural economic development and veterans' issues. In 2011, Allen led the establishment of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, serving as a key organizer and proponent for its creation. From 2016 to 2021, he served as the State Director for USDA Rural Development in Michigan, where he worked to strengthen infrastructure and economic opportunity in rural communities across the state. Currently, Allen owns a consulting company, advising on business development and economic initiatives. He is also an Eagle Scout and a proud U.S. Army veteran. 



As Renewable Fuel Standard Turns 20, Corn Growers Celebrate

The Renewable Fuel Standard turns 20 today and a celebration is underway in recognition of the monumental contributions the law has made in American life.

“Since it was signed into law, the Renewable Fuel Standard has provided immeasurable benefits to Americans,” said Illinois farmer and NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “It has dramatically increased demand for corn, provided significant savings to consumers at the pump and strengthened America’s energy dominance.”

An Epic Advocacy Effort
NCGA and state corn grower groups were on the forefront of the issue in the 1990s and early 2000s, pushing for a national law that would allow use of biofuels in the nation’s fuel supply. Using ethanol, they argued, would address concerns around greenhouse gas emissions while diversifying the nation’s fuel supply and reducing the price of fuel for drivers.

The outcome was far from certain. The law had first been introduced several years before and failed to advance. A promising effort in 2004, in which the bill was close to passage, went down in flames after an ally in Congress refused to vote for it over an unpopular rider.

But state and national corn growers were not deterred. They made calls. They went to Capitol Hill. And they united with unlikely partners, like Edison Electric and other industries, to push for passage of the legislation.

“We got down to a couple of votes in Congress and the corn growers were united like never before, and I started receiving calls from Capitol Hill saying, ‘would you have your growers stop calling us, we are with you,’” said Jon Doggett, who served as NCGA’s chief lobbyist at the time and retired as CEO of the organization. “I had not seen anything like it before and haven’t seen anything like it since.”

The efforts were a success. Congress quickly passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, requiring gas sold in the United States to contain renewable fuel blends capped at 10%. The law, which expanded again through legislation in 2007, was a paradigm shift for a host of sectors, ranging from the travel industry to community farming.  

“Not only was the nation benefiting from the new standard, but corn growers and rural communities benefited from increased corn sales,” Hartman said. “It was and continues to be a win-win situation for everyone.”

The RFS has helped increase demand for corn for ethanol by 244% over the last 20 years, according to economic data released by NCGA.

A Raised Profile
After its passage, corn gained increased attention and respect. It was top of mind among Democratic and Republican presidential candidates eager to win the Iowa caucuses. It was featured as part of the plot in season six of the popular TV show “West Wing,” and its growers were fêted by policymakers on both sides of the aisle. It even earned the moniker, King Corn.

The impact of the Renewable Fuel Standard has only improved with age. Since 2005, the law has:
    Created hundreds of thousands of jobs. The biofuels industry supports more than 300,000 jobs and contributes $50 billion to the nation's GDP every year.
    Bolstered America’s fueling infrastructure. RFS has created the infrastructure to produce 18 billion gallons of ethanol annually. That would fuel 300 million cars every year.
    Saved money. Studies have estimated that the RFS has saved consumers between 10-30 cents per gallon at the pump over time.

Expanding Access to Ethanol
As years progressed, the 10% cap on ethanol blends was eliminated. But the Environmental Protection Agency, which is tasked with administering the RFS, eventually enacted an outdated requirement limiting consumer access to fuel blends containing 15% ethanol, or E15, over the summer months. While EPA has issued temporary waivers for that policy, NCGA has worked in recent years for a law that would eliminate the need for regulatory action, thus providing year-round consumer access to higher blends of ethanol across the country. That battle continues.
 
NCGA is also working with the Trump administration, the airlines sector and Congress to make inroads into the aviation sector. NCGA and corn grower advocates support a tax incentive for this promising industry, and corn growers say they are continuing to work to ensure that standards are in place that will allow the ethanol industry and farmers to capture value from the credit.  

As late as this week, corn growers submitted comments on the RFS standards for 2026 and 2027 as part of  continued advocacy on this issue.

“There is more work to be done if we are going to fully unleash the power and benefits of ethanol,” Hartman said. “But today, we are going to celebrate a hard-fought victory that has resulted in countless benefits for corn growers and indeed all Americans."



Clean Fuels Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the RFS

Friday, Clean Fuels Alliance America celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard, signed into law on August 8, 2005, as part of the Energy Policy Act.

Last week, Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) led the introduction of a bipartisan, bicameral congressional resolution (S.Res.364 and H.Res.628) recognizing the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The resolution honors the RFS “as a milestone in America’s commitment to strengthening energy security, supporting rural communities, growing the economy, and improving environmental performance.” It further “recognizes the positive impacts of the RFS on United States energy policy, the agricultural sector, and the environment over the past 2 decades.”

Clean Fuels Alliance America and its members applaud the congressional resolution and thank all co-sponsors in both the House and Senate.

Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels’ Vice President of Federal Affairs, states, “Clean Fuels thanks Senator Pete Ricketts and Representative Max Miller and their colleagues for honoring the Renewable Fuel Standard’s foundational role in strengthening America’s energy and farm security. Under the RFS over the last twenty years, U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel production has grown from a few hundred million gallons to 5 billion gallons, meeting 9 percent of the nation’s on-road diesel demand. Biodiesel and renewable diesel production is vital for America’s economy, supporting $42.4 billion in economic opportunity. It is essential to America’s farmers, supporting 10 percent of the value of every soybean grown in the United States. With robust RFS volumes proposed for the coming years, the benefits keep growing.” 



Clean Fuels Asks EPA to Sustain Robust Biomass-based Diesel Volumes in 2026-2027 RFS

Friday, Clean Fuels Alliance America filed comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2026 and 2027. Clean Fuels expressed appreciation for EPA’s intent to provide consistent RFS growth in recognition of U.S. farmers’, feedstock providers’, and biomass-based diesel producers’ investments in new capacity.

EPA proposes a robust step-change in biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuel volumes beginning in 2026. The agency projects the requirement to reach 5.61 billion gallons in 2026 – more than two billion gallons higher than in 2025. According to an EPA fact sheet, “These volume requirements, if finalized, will protect investments made by American corn and soybean growers, oilseed processors, and biodiesel and renewable diesel producers, whose products are critical to our country’s energy security and keeping rural economies strong.”

“The proposal is a welcome signal to U.S. farmers and biofuel producers, and we are ready to meet these higher volumes with domestically produced fuel,” Clean Fuels writes in its comments. “We ask that the final rule sustain the volumes as proposed to ensure that our capacity is fully utilized. These volumes are readily achievable, based on current domestic production and investments that have been made.”

Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels’ Vice President of Federal Affairs, added, “Domestic production of biodiesel and renewable diesel doubled since 2020 and continues to grow. The industry supplied more than 5 billion gallons of biodiesel, renewable diesel and SAF to the U.S. market in 2024, and we are poised to deliver more in 2026. Clean fuel production is essential to farm security, supporting 10 percent of the value of every bushel of U.S. soybeans.”

“EPA is proposing many changes to the program and expressing the RVO in RIN-gallons rather than physical gallons,” Kovarik continued. “We ask that EPA follow through on its intent to support our industry’s investments in domestic fuel production by maintaining robust volumes even if some parts of the proposal are not finalized. We also urge EPA to ensure that the step-change in volumes is not eroded by small refinery exemptions.” 



ACE Submits Comments on EPA's Proposed RFS Volumes for 2026, 2027

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) today submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and 2027 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). ACE commended the Agency for proposing record volumes, while noting a few targeted changes to ensure the policy continues to fulfill its mission of increasing the use of American-made biofuels.

“ACE supports EPA proposing the highest RVOs to date, including more than 24 billion gallons of total renewable fuel for 2026 and 2027,” stated ACE CEO Brian Jennings in written comments. “We applaud EPA for proposing to significantly increase advanced biofuel levels, so those gallons are not displacing corn ethanol in the conventional biofuel pool.”

ACE also commends EPA’s proposal to keep RVOs whole even if small refinery exemptions (SREs) are granted for 2026 and 2027, and strongly supports a new “import RIN reduction” to favor American-made fuels.

“This step aligns with the RFS goals of making the U.S. more energy secure and boosting the American rural economy,” Jennings wrote.

While supporting many aspects of the proposed rule, ACE urged EPA to:
    Consider setting conventional biofuel volumes above 15 billion gallons to offset export market losses and maximize the blending of physical gallons of ethanol.
    Recognize higher projected use of E15 and E85, particularly given several state-level E15 year-round approvals, record E85 sales in California, and bipartisan legislation pending in Congress to permanently allow E15 sales nationwide.

In 2005 Congress enacted the original RFS statute and President G. W. Bush signed it into law at a ceremony attended by Bob Scott, the President of the ACE Board of Directors at the time. As such, the 20th anniversary of the original RFS coincides with this comment deadline.

“ACE was the first organization to support the RFS, and our leadership was pivotal in mobilizing other groups to help us urge Congress to eventually adopt it,” Jennings wrote. “When implemented properly by EPA, the RFS indeed has successfully increased the production and use of domestic renewable fuel, improved U.S. energy security, cleaned the air, boosted the farm economy, and reduced pump prices.”



USDA to Issue One-Time Additional Congressionally Mandated Payment to Approved Insurance Providers Through Additional Payment Program II 

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a one-time Congressionally mandated payment to Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) administering eligible crop insurance contracts for 2022 and 2023 reinsurance year specialty crops through the Additional Payment Program II (ADD PAY II) to provide additional compensation to those on the front lines delivering crop insurance to America’s farmers.    

The total funding available for ADD PAY II is $30 million, and RMA will distribute to AIPs proportionally based on their respective liabilities for eligible crop insurance contracts for 2022 and 2023 reinsurance year specialty crops. Funding for ADD PAY II is provided through the American Relief Act, 2025.    

“This additional payment recognizes the great services Approved Insurance Providers and crop insurance agents provide America’s farmers,” said RMA Administrator Pat Swanson.  

“We look forward to continuing our progress expanding crop insurance to specialty crops by engaging directly with crop insurance agents who service these growers. The program works best when we listen to those on the ground.”   

The American Relief Act, 2025, signed into law on Dec. 21, 2024, extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the 2018 Farm Bill) for one year as well as provided disaster relief appropriations and authorities and one-time economic assistance to farmers.     

A final rule implementing ADD PAY II will publish in the Federal Register on Aug. 11, 2025. More information is available at regulations.gov.