Do you really have a sales department?

Sep 24, 2025

We have the privilege of working with primary producers from coast to coast. It is very interesting to see the different business models, and we appreciate the passion people have for their products. There are many different tasks required to build a successful food business.

- You need to determine what you will produce
- You need to figure out how you will grow it
- You need to develop the capacity to produce it
- You need to get it to market
- You need to sell it

Within each of these simple statements there are so many steps that require time, energy, expertise, money and passion. Unfortunately, we see so many businesses that put the vast majority of the effort into the first four statements. Yes, you need to develop products and have the ability to produce them. The reality is if you do not put the effort into selling it, you will not maximize the opportunity.

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Video: Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

On Friday, April 24, 2026, from 12 noon–1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law:

“Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard”

The Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, or advanced biofuels. Established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and later expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This webinar provides an overview of the legal authority and structure for the RFS program and explain how it works, including the program’s system of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and categories of renewable fuels. Additionally, this webinar addresses EPA annual volume requirement rulemaking and associated recent legal issues.