Changes to US Renewable Fuel Standard to help Canadian canola growers

Dec 08, 2022

Canola’s role in helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions took another step forward last week.

Certain fuels made with canola and rapeseed oil now qualify as advanced biofuels in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule last week.

Canadian Oilseed Processors Association Executive Director Chris Vervaet said the potential for the canola industry is enormous.

“It’s a very important milestone,” he said. “We’ve been working off and on with the regulators in the United States and with our partners in the United States to get access to the US renewable diesel market for many years so to finally have a pathway for canola in that market is, again a really important milestone and provides a lot of potential opportunity for canola going forward.”

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.