Soybean farmers want to boost demand for their versatile crop, and clean fuels may lead the way.
Biodiesel and renewable diesel are two markets that provide farmers value-added products, while aligning with the nation’s growing decarbonization efforts.
At the 2025 Clean Fuels Conference, hosted by the Clean Fuels Alliance in San Diego, stakeholders in the biodiesel and renewable diesel space met under one roof, which included soybean farmers from across the country.
The quick 5
Here are top five takeaways from the conference:
1. Farmers must be in the room. Often when policy is discussed, the major players — farmers — are forgotten. As a producer, it is important to advocate for soybeans and get a fair price for the lower-carbon-intensity soy.
“Farmers have an incredible sustainability story to tell today, regardless of the policies at the federal or the state level that may require them to implement additional practices,” said Michael Dolch, director of government affairs at AG Processing. “I think they bring a level of common sense to the table.”
2. Oilseeds take over the market. Not too long ago, there was limited use for soybean oil. But through sustainability efforts and advances in technology, oil is becoming more valuable than soybean meal. One way that the industry is looking to fill the demand of plant oils is utilizing an oilseed winter cover crop.
“We just broke ground on an expansion that can process soybeans as well as any of the winter oilseeds,” said Stacey Orlandi, president of Chevron Renewable Energy Group. “We have multiple investments to help the farmer to the fuel producers to be able to bring those oilseeds to market as well.”
3. Biodiesel is no longer a scapegoat. When biodiesel first entered the market, it was met with skepticism. However, with over a decade of research and utilization, it now has a place on farms and in industrial transportation.
“I had the opportunity to be on the BQ-9000 commission, and it made me realize how devoted this industry is to ensure that they get the high-quality fuel,” said Ryan Pederson, a North Dakota soybean producer. “The folks on that commission spent so much time and effort making sure that the system was in place to ensure that the fuel that came out of those BQ-9000 plants would never have the problems that could allow the service manager from the local dealer to blame it on biodiesel.”
4. Biomass-based diesel makes its mark. In 2024, the U.S. produced an all-time high of 5 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel.
“We generated millions of dollars of added value for Americans, farmers and ranchers, supporting over 75,000 jobs,” said Kent Engelbrecht, director of North American Biodiesel Trade Policy for ADM. “We have boosted rural communities, providing cleaner air with every gallon, and we have created our path forward.”
With this substantial economic impact, the clean fuels market is creating a new market for farmers and providing a new energy supply.
5. Clean fuels policy should reward domestic markets. Integrating biodiesel and renewable diesel into the transportation industry in the U.S. is underway. All six major railroads incorporate these clean fuels into their locomotives. Work is being done to have sustainable aviation fuel available for airlines, while the maritime industry is looking to incorporate clean fuel as well.
“In three to five years, there is going to pressure on U.S. agriculture to be independent, not only to create energy for the world, but to have a domestic policy that rewards the entire ecosystem, and I think that is incredibly important,” said Lucas Lentsch, CEO of United Soybean Board. “Farmers get to invest in the future of research that leads us to look out in front of us.”