🕒 Created · Updated

Monte Shaw Urges Farmers to Advocate for Robust Biofuel Mandates Against Potential Small Refinery Exemptions

Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, is calling on American farmers to lobby the administration to maintain the current biofuel blending requirements. The move comes in response to reports that the EPA may grant a significant expansion of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs), which could undercut the demand for domestic crops and renewable fuels. Industry experts warn that if the administration approves these exemptions at a high level, it could eliminate approximately 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel demand and cost U.S. soybean farmers roughly $1 billion in lost revenue. While oil refiners are currently seeing record profits, agricultural groups argue that the administration should prioritize family farmers over big oil corporations. The administration announced the most robust Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending levels in history under President Trump. Stakeholders, including the Iowa Soybean Association and the National Farmers Union, emphasize that backtracking on these commitments now would undermine investor confidence and damage the rural economy.

Sources