(Photo: KFGO)
North Dakota Corn Growers Association is applauding the announcement by President Trump of the Environmental Protection Agency’s record-breaking renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and 2027 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), marking a significant step forward in U.S. energy policy and a substantial victory for American farmers and the biofuels industry.
The final rule increased volumes from an earlier proposal. The agency set a record 25.82 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be mixed into gas and diesel in 2026 and 25.98 billion gallons in 2027. Those volumes include a conventional volume, including corn-based ethanol, of 15 billion gallons across both years. The rule also increased the advanced biofuels volumes from the earlier proposal.
NDCGA President Brian Leier, who farms near Linton, ND said, “We thank the President and EPA Administrator Zeldin, whom I met in North Dakota last fall, for continuing to recognize the value that corn-derived, American-made ethanol provides for the Heartland where it’s produced, our economy, and our energy production industry. Coupled with this week’s waiver issued from the restriction on summer sales of E15,” Leier added. “These actions will strengthen domestic demand for the corn we grow, save motorists money, and reduce our reliance on foreign oil by approximately 150,000 barrels a day. This is a tremendous win for U.S. energy, agriculture, and consumers.”
NDCGA state board director Bryan Dean, who farms near Velva, ND, was on hand for the announcement with President Trump, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and hundreds of farmers from across the country. “It was an honor to be invited to the South Lawn of the White House and represent the corn producers of North Dakota,” said Dean.
The announcement also includes a key provision to discount RIN credit values for foreign fuels and feedstocks, effectively prioritizing American-grown products like ethanol.
The RFS requires refiners to blend minimal volumes of ethanol and biodiesel into the nation’s fuel mix or purchase tradable credits, known as renewable identification numbers (RINs). The program is closely watched by oil and ag industries for impacts on crop demand and fuel prices.
The proposal comes during the 20th anniversary of the RFS program and signals a renewed commitment to its original intent – reducing reliance on foreign oil, supporting rural economies, and expanding the use of homegrown renewable fuels.
Source: North Dakota Corn Growers Association
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