March 30, 2026 – Amid farm economy struggles and rising gas prices, President Donald Trump announced on Friday the release of an updated biofuel policy and temporary boosts to ethanol sales.

Speaking at a White House event celebrating farmers, Trump announced a final rule raising the minimum amount of renewable fuels that must be blended into the U.S. fuel supply. Biofuels like ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel are largely made with corn and soybean oil, meaning this rule could boost demand for those crops.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the rule under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The final rule sets Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) significantly higher than the previous amount, released under the Biden administration, and slightly higher than previously proposed levels.

Biodiesel and renewable diesel production and use is expected to increase by 60 percent with the latest RVOs in comparison to the previous limits, according to the EPA. Under the rule, fuel made with foreign feedstocks or foreign-made fuel will have less compliance value than domestic fuels starting in 2028.

In a press release, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the volumes are expected to create a $3 billion to $4 billion increase in net farm income.

“At a time of significant economic pressure across agriculture, policies that strengthen domestic demand are more important than ever,” Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, said in a statement. “Expanded biofuel volumes translate directly into stronger markets for our corn and soybean growers, helping support farm income and rural communities.”

Recently, the administration also announced an emergency fuel waiver allowing the sale of E15 gasoline, which is fuel blended with 15 percent ethanol, from May 1 to May 20. While commodity groups and members of Congress have pushed for more E15 sales for years, the waiver is largely aimed at preventing dramatic price hikes at the gas pump amid the war in Iran.

While proponents of E15 welcomed the waiver, they also pushed for more certainty through permanent year-round E15 sales.

“Hardworking people in this country are struggling with Trump’s cost of living crisis—from health care to groceries to energy bills to child care—and it is time that Congress put up or shut up by putting legislation for permanent year-round E15 to a vote of the full House,” Representative Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) said in a statement.

Craig is the top-ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. During the recent markup of the House farm bill, Democrats pushed to include a provision granting year-round E15 in the package, but Republicans voted down the amendment, arguing it was not under the committee’s jurisdiction.

Both actions are also the latest steps as the administration works to appeal to its agricultural base ahead of midterm elections and as farmers continue to struggle with high input costs and low prices for commodities. On top of these trends, changing trade policy has presented additional challenges for farmers.

Now farm groups are warning lawmakers and the administration of even more pressures due to the war in Iran, including its impact on fertilizer and fuel prices.

During the White House event, Trump also touted the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, which provides $12 billion to farmers, with the bulk going to commodity producers. He also said the administration would request additional farm assistance in the next funding bill.

On top of these announcements, the White House released a website showcasing the administration’s actions related to agriculture. These include tax policy changes under the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill. (Link to this post.).

The post Trump Administration Boosts Biofuels in Effort to Ease Farmer Woes appeared first on Civil Eats.

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