Farms.com Home   News

Reflections on Birth of Renewable Fuel Standard Offer Direction for Advocates

By Lesly Weber McNitt

Twenty years ago this month, the president signed into law the Energy Policy Act of 2005 establishing the Renewable Fuel Standard, a development that reshaped the rural economy and provided immeasurable benefits to people across the country. 

The standard, which required fuel sold in the United States to contain renewable fuel blends (like ethanol) capped at 10%, was a boon to rural economies, a tool for policymakers and regulators seeking to lower greenhouse gas emissions and a diversification strategy to those concerned about U.S. energy security.

The law’s enactment established the corn grower community as a political powerhouse. As Jon Doggett, the vice president of public policy at the National Corn Growers Association at the time, recently noted, corn growers were united and motivated at the time and as a result caught the attention of Congress like never before.

I would eventually work for Jon when I first came to NCGA in 2017. By then, corn was a mover and shaker on every level politically, and the 10% cap on ethanol had long since been removed.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Not only is corn getting sweatier, it's getting smarter

Video: Not only is corn getting sweatier, it's getting smarter


Over the past several weeks, much of the U.S. Midwest has experienced prolonged episodes of extreme heat, a trend also observed in other major corn-producing regions of North America such as eastern South Dakota, southern Ontario, and parts of Kansas and Missouri. These high-temperature events can place significant physiological stress on maize (Zea mays L.), which is cultivated on approximately 90 million acres across the United States, with leading production in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Like all maize, Bayer’s PRECEON™ Smart Corn System is subject to transpiration-driven water loss under high heat. However, this system incorporates agronomic traits designed to improve standability through enhanced stalk strength, thereby reducing lodging risk during stress conditions. Furthermore, the system supports precision agriculture practices by enabling more targeted fertilizer and crop protection applications. This approach not only helps to optimize input efficiency but also contributes to maintaining or increasing yield potential under variable environmental stresses such as heat waves, which are becoming more frequent in corn belt and fringe production regions.