Not One Word about Biofuel, Renewable Fuel, Ethanol

March 05, 2025

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by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Just a quick review of yesterday's speech to Congress by President Donald Trump reveals a lot about his priorities in what he didn't say. Not since President George W. Bush said "switch grass" in his 2006 State of the Union address has any president truly supported understanding, development and use of liquid renewable fuels in a national speech to Congress. ("We'll also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from wood chips and stalks, or switch grass. Our goal is to make this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years." -- G.W. Bush) We've been keeping track.

But this president has those who work in agriculture to thank for his election and, along with the only mention of farmers being in a section about how they will have to suffer again with tariffs, he ignores a key farming topic. Not one mention of "biofuel" or "renewable" or "fuel" or "ethanol" or anything 'bio' except for the last part of Marco Rubio's name.

He takes credit for ending the 'electric vehicle mandate', but with no acknowledgement that this is more a work in progress than an accomplished fact. And certainly he did not take the opportunity to explain to the Congress, the American public, or the world that renewable fuels could achieve his energy security, energy independence and 'Buy American' goals; not to mention the climate change mitigation aspirations of many which could bring those markets to the American Farmer.

*Joanne Ivancic serves as the executive director of Advanced Biofuels USA.

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Excerpt from DTN Progressive Farmer: Trump's tariffs levied against China, Mexico and Canada have taken center stage in rural America, where farmers already are looking for relief from low commodity prices and high input prices and raising questions about where new markets will emerge.

The current debate in rural America centers on whether the Trump tariffs will exacerbate problems in agriculture or level the playing field with trading partners across the world who already have in place tariffs on U.S. ag products.

Early on Tuesday, China announced retaliatory tariffs against U.S. ag products in response to a 10% tariff slapped on all Chinese imports into the U.S., https://www.dtnpf.com/….

...

Trump said U.S. farmers should be ready to sell more of their products at home.

"Our farmers, starting on April 2, there may be a little bit of an adjustment period," Trump said about the date for more tariffs taking effect.

"To our farmers, have a lot of fun, I love you too."

...

Although not mentioned by Trump in his speech, permanent year-round E15 sales nationally has become a rallying point for agriculture and biofuels producers alike.

Ahead of the speech, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said in a statement to DTN that an E15 fix is important to farmers.

"America's ethanol producers and farmers stand ready to play a major role in President Trump's agenda for American energy independence," Cooper said.

"Expanding access to E15 fuel will not only create a stronger internal market for American farmers but will also boost domestic fuel production, lower costs for consumers and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources. We look forward to working with President Trump and Congress to ensure Americans can take advantage of everything E15 and biofuels have to offer." READ MORE

Excerpt from The Hill: Trump’s new policies have also rattled China’s leaders who have promised to impose 15 percent tariffs on imports of food including chicken, wheat and corn, in addition to U.S. cotton.

The Trump administration is planning to enforce additional tariffs that will heavily impact the agricultural industry.

“To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun!” he wrote in a Monday Truth Social post.

The stock market has suffered from Trump’s major reform. Economists are expecting prices to continue soaring as the nation’s inflation swells. READ MORE

Excerpt from Brownfield Ag News: An ag economist with the University of Missouri says tariff talk has already affected ethanol exports.

Ben Brown says Canada is the largest buyer of U.S.-produced ethanol.

“We did see this last week the ethanol stocks number in the U.S. just spiked to some of their highest levels since we stopped driving and consuming during the pandemic.” He says, “It wasn’t consumption that was the problem this time, not using product. It was Canada not buying ethanol.”

He tells Brownfield it’ll impact corn demand.

“Now we’ve got growing stocks on the ethanol side that’s going to further suppress those margins.” He says, “We’ve already seen really weak to low margins for ethanol plants. You know, my expectation is ethanol consumption, or ethanol grind, really starts to kind of taper off here for a period of time this spring.”

Brown gave his comments during Brownfield’s Weekly Commodity Market Update. READ MORE

Excerpt from Reuters/Country Guide: U.S. corn futures fell to their lowest levels of 2025 on Tuesday and soybean futures dropped below $10 a bushel on heightened concerns that President Donald Trump’s trade policies would curb demand for U.S. goods, analysts said.

Trump slapped 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada and doubled duties on Chinese goods to 20 per cent. Ottawa responded with 25 per cent tariffs on some C$30 billion in U.S. imports while Beijing said it would impose additional tariffs on agricultural products starting next week. Mexico’s government is expected to respond on Sunday.

“Retaliatory steps are beginning to emerge from these trading partners, raising fears of an ever-escalating trade war that will send our economy, and the global economy, into a recession, reducing demand for commodities in the process,” StoneX chief commodities economist Arlan Suderman wrote in a client note. READ MORE