The Ethanol Report

The Trump administration hit two home runs for the ethanol industry during the last week of March amidst National Agriculture Month celebrations – announcing waivers to allow sales of E15 through the summer, in lieu of Congressional action to make it permanent, and finalizing the long-delayed renewable volume obligations for 2026 and 2027. In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses the actions by the administration and why the industry is still pressing for permanent nationwide E15 to be passed by Congress yet this year.

The Renewable Fuels Association is a proud sponsor of Girls Auto Clinic (GAC) to expand ethanol education and outreach to a growing audience of women who are actively engaged in car buying, maintenance, and repair. Founder Patrice Banks spoke at the recent National Ethanol Conference about her efforts to help women gain the knowledge and confidence to take charge of their automotive experiences and how her audience has been very receptive to information the benefits of higher ethanol blends. In this edition of the Ethanol Report, we hear from Banks and also from RFA Membership and Marketing Manager Kendra Coulson about how the RFA partnership with Girls Auto Clinic started and how its going.

Audio from the 2026 National Ethanol Conference RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper; RFA Senior VP, Industry Relations & Market Development, Robert White; RFA Senior VP, Government & Public Affairs, Troy Bredenkamp; U.S. EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, Aaron Szabo; RFA General Counsel and VP, Government Affairs, Ed Hubbard; RFA Policy Counsel and Director, Government Affairs, Jared Mullendore; RFA VP, Strategy and Innovation, Tad Hepner; 2026 RFA Industry Award: LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis

Ethanol Report on Nationwide E15 in Congress RFA CEO explains what happened and what's in store at the 2026 NEC

RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper recaps the year in ethanol.

In this episode we hear from Ashley Viglione, RFA Government Affairs Associate, about her job in the Washington DC office and how she assists the organization. Specifically, we talk about what she learned at the recent Global Ethanol Summit and her impressions of ethanol's importance in both the nation and the world.

At this time last year, the ethanol industry was optimistic Congress would be passing a Continuing Resolution that included approval for nationwide, year-round E15, but no one thought California would ever allow sales of E15, despite being a huge seller of E85.  This year, this industry is grateful to have legislative approval for E15 sales in California, while Congressional approval once again remains elusive on the federal level. In this episode of The Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper breaks down where we are right now on E15, as well as other unfinished business in Congress, and why the industry has much to be thankful for in 2025. 

The United States is on track to export a record amount of fuel ethanol for the second year in a row in 2025, driven by growing international demand. That demand was evident at the recent Global Ethanol Summit, hosted by the U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council and supported by the Renewable Fuels Association, which drew more than 450 international buyers and end-users of ethanol and its co-products from more than 40 countries. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast we hear from RFA's exports expert Ed Hubbard who discusses the summit, his participation in a recent trade mission to the UK, and what the new trade deals in Southeast Asia mean for the ethanol industry.

A new economic study released by the National Corn Growers Association and the Renewable Fuels Association shows that expanding year-round, nationwide consumer access to fuels with a 15% ethanol blend would provide a boon to the American economy, benefiting farmers, communities and consumers alike. RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman provides the details in this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast.

Biofuels Buzz at Farm Progress Show - with comments from USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden; RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper; RFA Senior VP, Industry Relations & Market Development, Robert White; and RFA Policy Counsel and Director, Government Affairs, Jared Mullendore

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper talks about the 20th anniversary of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which was part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 signed by President George W. Bush on August 8 of that year at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Read RFA's report on the RFS at Twenty.

RFA Director of Environment, Health & Safety Justin Schultz upcoming food safety course for ethanol producers in Sioux Falls, SD. 

RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper comments on the recent EPA RVO proposal and SCOTUS ruling on small refinery waiver challenges

RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper addresses a number of current ethanol industry issues, starting with RFA's participating in the upcoming Fuel Ethanol Workshop in Omaha and including comments on the One Big Beautiful Bill, E15 legislation in California, and the status of EPA's RVO proposal.

RFA's Robert White talks about ethanol education on the water with boaters and anglers at the Big Crappie Challenge in Missouri

Professor Leena Hilakivi-Clarke, PhD, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, is the author of a paper appearing in the scientific journal iScience titled "Aromatics from fossil fuels and breast cancer." In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, she discusses her research and we also hear from biofuels research economist Steffan Mueller, and Gail Dennison, Director of Development and External Relations for The Hormel Institute.

RFA Economist Scott Richman discusses optimism for increasing sales of E15

Karol King, Board Chairman, SIRE Rodney Jorgenson, Board Member, Al-Corn Clean Fuel Todd Brown, Board Member, Dakota Ethanol, LLC Rod Gangwish, Board Member, KAAPA Ethanol Holdings LLC Dave VanderGriend, CEO, ICM, Inc.

Highlights of the 30th National Ethanol Conference