Biden admin floats parting guidance on climate-smart farming

By Marc Heller | 01/15/2025 04:21 PM EST

The Department of Agriculture’s proposal details how biofuel crops can reduce carbon emissions — but it’s up to the Trump administration to accept or reject.

A car fills up at a gas station.

A car fills up at a gas station in Los Angeles. The Biden administration issued guidance on producing biofuel crops in a manner that cuts greenhouse gas emissions. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

The Biden administration Wednesday offered its first detailed guidance on how crops grown for biofuel could be produced in ways that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The guidance — in the form of an interim rule that will ultimately fall to the incoming Trump administration — outlines practices and standards for corn, soybeans and sorghum — key biofuel crops.

Once finalized, the rule will help in the implementation of a new clean energy tax credit that rewards biofuel producers for sustainable aviation and other transportation fuels that cut greenhouse gas emissions compared with petroleum. It’s open for public comment for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register on Friday.

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That credit, in Section 45Z of the tax code, took effect Jan. 1, but farm groups have been awaiting guidance to help farmers measure and verify the benefits of practices such as reduced tillage and scaled-back use of fertilizer.

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