The Agriculture Department on Wednesday announced the publication of an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks.

USDA explained, “The interim rule establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of biofuel feedstock commodity crops grown in the United States. These guidelines will facilitate the recognition of climate-smart agriculture within clean transportation fuel programs, creating new market opportunities for biofuel feedstock producers while enhancing climate benefits.”

USDA also published a beta version of the USDA Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator (USDA FD-CIC) to facilitate the quantification of farm-level crop-specific carbon intensity.

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Comments on the rule received by March 18 will be considered, USDA said.

“The new guidelines are a win for farmers, biofuel producers, the public and the environment. The action today marks an important milestone in the development of market-based conservation opportunities for agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

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“Today’s action also builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s historic work to create greater opportunity for homegrown, renewable biofuels. From making E15 more widely available at gas station pumps and approving record biofuel levels, to investing in infrastructure to help communities invest in biofuels, to accelerating a future for Sustainable Aviation Fuels, this administration created pathways for economic growth that will reverberate for generations to come,” Vilsack said.

“America’s farmers play a critical role in building the clean-energy economy,” said White House Senior Adviser for International Climate Policy John Podesta.

“Today’s announcement from USDA reinforces the important role climate-smart agriculture plays in our rural economy, including in fueling clean transportation solutions, as well as the importance of providing pathways for unbundled, science-based accounting of the carbon benefits of climate-smart practices that help farmers earn more for what they grow.”

With the Biden administration departing at noon Monday, the person in charge of the rule is Bill Hohenstein, director of the Office of Energy and Environmental Policy.

Renewable fuels groups, which last week expressed disappointment in the Treasury guidelines for tax breaks for sustainable aviation fuel, praised Wednesday’s announcements.

The Renewable Fuels Association noted that the rule “establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of corn, sorghum, and other biofuel feedstock crops grown in the United States. The USDA guidelines could help inform the inclusion of CSA practices in future clean fuel regulations and tax credit programs, like the 45Z clean fuel production credit.”

“America’s ethanol producers applaud USDA for publishing these important guidelines, and we sincerely thank Secretary Tom Vilsack for his extraordinary vision and leadership,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “The entire team at USDA deserves much credit for the enormous effort and technical work that went into this process. These new guidelines begin to open the door to new value-added opportunities for farmers and renewable fuel producers.”

Cooper noted that emissions related to feedstock production account for more than half of ethanol’s carbon footprint; and to date, policies and regulations have not allowed farmers and ethanol producers to embrace more efficient, lower-carbon feedstock production practices as a pathway for reducing the carbon intensity of renewable fuels and breaking into new markets like sustainable aviation fuel.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor said, “This new CSA rule hits all the right notes and will help set American ethanol up to deliver a more affordable, low-carbon, homegrown energy solution to American drivers. [Wednesday’s] announcement also sets the stage for new economic opportunities in rural America, as it means farmers could get credit for their work to grow more crops using fewer resources.”

“We commend USDA and specifically Secretary Vilsack for building this rule and the agency’s new feedstock carbon intensity calculator in a way that will maximize economic benefits to farmers, putting them in a position to help America’s ethanol industry unleash American energy dominance.

“We urge the incoming administration to use this new proposal to provide farmers with a new pathway to drive farm income. A strong rural economy depends on a strong American ethanol industry, and vice versa. This rule offers a path forward for all of these stakeholders, and we look forward to working with the Trump administration to make regenerative agriculture a part of their successful efforts to revitalize rural America.”