A Midwestern Clean Fuels Policy Initiative committee has developed a framework for designing Midwestern clean fuels policies to incorporate farm-level emissions. The framework includes recommendations for quantifying emissions from energy and fertilizer use on farms and accounting for soil organic carbon storage.
The benefits of a Midwestern clean fuels policy
Clean fuels standards policies reduce the use of high-carbon transportation fuels while providing incentives to deploy lower-carbon fuels. They are technology-neutral and performance-based.
Transitioning from higher-carbon to lower-carbon fuels can result in lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved energy security, better air quality, and local economic development. Home to the largest concentration of biofuel producers in the country, the Midwest in particular stands to benefit economically from clean fuels policies.
New framework will support climate-smart farming practices
Farm-level greenhouse gas emissions from producing biofuel feedstocks—like corn and soybeans—account for a sizable portion of biofuel emissions.
By providing incentives to reduce these farm-level emissions, clean fuels policies can support the deployment of even lower-carbon biofuels. They can also directly compensate farmers that are implementing best practices when it comes to producing lower-carbon fuels.
However, existing clean fuels policies like the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program do not currently recognize or compensate farmers for climate-smart farming practices. Instead, these programs assign average values for biofuel feedstocks.
Click the button below to download the policy framework and learn more.
Download Detailed Framework Document
The following organizations have signed onto Supporting Climate-Smart Farming Practices through Midwestern Clean Fuels Policies:
- American Coalition for Ethanol
- Christianson PLLP
- Farmers Business Network
- Gevo
- Guardian Energy
- HabiTerre, Inc.
- National Sorghum Producers
- Oberon Fuels
- POET, LLC
- Renewable Fuels Association
- South Dakota Corn Growers Association
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