USDA Releases Request for Information on the Production of Biofuel Feedstocks using Climate-Smart Practices

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released the Production of Biofuel Feedstocks Using Climate-Smart Practices Request for Information (RFI). The purpose of the RFI is to understand procedures for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the effect of climate-smart farming practices on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with U.S.-grown biofuel feedstock crops. The input will inform a potential USDA rulemaking to establish voluntary standards for biofuel feedstocks grown with practices that mitigate GHG emissions and/or sequester soil carbon. These standards would be available for consideration by international, national, or state clean transportation fuel policies to further incentivize climate-smart biofuel feedstock crops.

This RFI supports an interagency agreement with the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency to solicit public feedback on future opportunities for including climate-smart biofuel feedstock crops in clean transportation fuel programs. DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) recently announced $25.5 million in funding that focused on improving climate-smart agricultural practices that reduce the carbon intensity of biomass feedstocks used for biofuel production.  

USDA, along with other government agencies, supports markets for climate-smart biofuel production, which provides incentives for U.S. farmers who grow biofuel feedstock crops using climate-smart agriculture practices. A greater adoption of climate-smart farming practices could lower overall GHG emissions associated with biofuel production and provide other environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and soil health. Incentivizing these practices is beneficial for the environment and for rural and farm communities.

USDA’s RFI is seeking feedback on topics including:

• Biofuel feedstock crops and practices for consideration in USDA’s analysis.
• Scientific data, information, and analysis for consideration in quantifying the GHG emissions outcomes of climate-smart agricultural practices and conventional farming practices.
• Records, documentation, and data necessary to provide sufficient evidence to verify practice adoption and maintenance.
• Systems used to trace feedstocks throughout the biofuel supply chain.
• Third-party verification of practice adoption and maintenance.

This RFI is available for public inspection and comments may be submitted until July 26, 2024.