The Renewable Fuel Standard: Delivering for American Agriculture
America’s soybean farmers need strong, stable markets and the Renewable Fuel Standard delivers. By creating consistent domestic demand for soybean oil, the RFS provides soybean farmers with reliable markets and meaningful value-added opportunities that strengthen rural economies, provide good-paying jobs, and support American agricultural communities.
NOPA members, the nation’s soybean processors, are the critical link between American farms and America’s fuel supply. They can now process more than 60% of all U.S.-grown soybeans, grounding the value chain on American soil and ensuring farmers have a dependable home for their crops. Biomass-based diesel demand drives soybean crush, which expands the supply of soybean meal, a critical protein source for U.S. livestock and poultry producers. The RFS supports American agriculture at each step of the process from the field, to the feedlot, to your dinner plate.
EPA’s Set 2 Rule: The Strongest Signal Yet
EPA’s final Renewable Fuel Standard “Set 2” rule sets the highest renewable fuel volumes in the program’s history and it puts American farmers and American energy first.
Set 2 is expected to generate a $3 to $4 billion increase in net farm income while creating $31 billion in value for American corn and soybean oil used in biomass-based diesel production in 2026 alone, $2 billion more than in 2025. Moreover, the rule will produce over $10 billion for rural economies and create more than 100,000 jobs in agriculture and manufacturing.
In addition, Set 2’s volumes will displace roughly 300,000 barrels of foreign oil per day with domestically produced biomass-based diesel, replacing imports with American-made fuel and advancing real energy independence.
NOPA Members Are Ready to Deliver
Compared to previous mandates, biomass-based diesel production must increase by more than 60% and the U.S. oilseed processing industry is ready to meet that demand. To support the growth, NOPA members have committed $6 billion to expand domestic crush capacity by 30%. Nine new oilseed processing facilities have opened in the last three years alone, and members continue to explore opportunities to bring new facilities online and upgrade existing facilities to further increase capacity.
Set 2 has created the strongest market signal in the program’s history, and NOPA members are prepared to deliver.
