A proposal by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to raise the mandatory biodiesel blending cap rallied grain markets mid-June 2025.
The EPA could raise the biodiesel blending minimum to almost 5.25 billion gallons in 2026, up from 3.35 billion gallons in 2025.
If the unconfirmed raise occurs, it will mark the first major renewable energy decision to win President Donald Trump’s backing.
It will also indicate how Trump’s America First policy will breathe life into bioenergy and grain sectors against crude oil dominance.
The spotlight on biodiesel owes to heavy lobbying by companies that had cited a surge in demand.
Influential Iowa Senator, Chuck Grassley, has also suggested 5 biodiesel processors might close without the 5.25 billion-gallon mandate.
The production limits of all biofuels including biodiesel could therefore elevate to 24.02 billion gallons in 2026, up from 22.33 billion gallons.
Grains Post Rallies
Such proposed hikes are already telling on wheat, soy and corn, whose market gains are surprising after underperforming adrift favorable Crop Progress Reports.
July delivery wheat at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) recovered on June 13, 2025 by 3.1% daily, to $5.42 3/4 a bushel.
Corn trade at the CBOT on the 13th also recorded a daily improvement of 1.4%, to $4.45 a bushel.
Soy futures for July delivery gained by 2.5% day-on-day on the same day, to a strong $10.69/bu.
The lead however was in the biodiesel-producing soy oil, which attracted a daily rise of 6.3% equal to US¢50.
Bioenergy Producers Happy
It is not just grain and oilseed traders that have taken the surprise news in their stride but the bioenergy sector, too.
According to the president of the U.S. Renewable Fuels Association, Geoff Cooper, the proposal will positively impact both “producers and farmers.”
Ongoing cuts on the imports of renewable energy are already forcing companies to rely on federal production and hence strong American grain prices. For more insights on how setting blending limits by the EPA boosts the trade of plant-based renewable oils, read the statistics below.
United States EPA Bioenergy Statistics
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to set biofuel and biodiesel standards each year. These oils from such plants as corn, wheat and soybeans are cleaner alternatives to crude oil.
How much soymeal does the U.S. produce/import each year?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), soymeal for various uses peaked in the 2023-24 year at 55,164,330 tonnes. The previous high in the 2000s was 42,767,700 tonnes in 2006-7. The totals include all production for home use and imports, but excludes exports. All imports since 2000 peaked in the 2015-16 year, at 394,600 tonnes.
How much corn does the U.S. convert into biofuel, annually?
Corn, which is the main grain for processing ethanol, is a major biofuel crop of the Midwest. In 2022, all ethanol production from mainly corn peaked at 15.4 billion gallons.
Which are the sources of biodiesel in the United States?
While ethanol is corn-based, biodiesel comes from oilseeds such as soybeans, animal fats and greases. In 2022, the production of biodiesel was at 3.1 billion gallons. By 2025, the minimum cap for blending biodiesel in the United States had overtaken this production at 3.35 billion gallons.
What were the biofuel blending limits/proposals in 2025, 2026 and 2027?
The EPA put the biofuel blending cap at 22.33 billion gallons in 2025, meaning more grains and oilseeds converting into bioenergy. Following more intake by the energy sector, the agency might decide to raise the caps to 24.02 billion gallons in 2026. The mandatory minimum might further increase to 24.46 billion gallons in 2027.