For years, bioethanol production has served as the cornerstone of America’s industrial bioeconomy, which supports an estimated 644,000 domestic jobs, contributes $210 billion to the U.S. GDP, and drives $49 billion in wages. The industry is especially valuable because it is economically tied to U.S. soil, where American farmers produce the crop-based feedstocks that make domestic biomanufacturing possible. The result is a stronger industrial base, a more prosperous agricultural sector, and greater U.S. energy independence. That’s good news for the entire supply chain, from equipment makers to the building trades.
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Few companies understand the nexus between renewable fuels and a strong farm economy better than John Deere, an iconic American brand that recently joined Growth Energy to enhance its long-running partnership with the U.S. biofuel industry. The company has decades of experience providing renewable fuel-compatible solutions to their customers. Now, they are further leveraging their expertise to champion policies that advance the biofuel industry and expand the bioeconomy.
As Cory Reed, President of the Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division for Production & Precision Agriculture at John Deere, explained, “Renewable fuels like corn bioethanol deliver clear benefits by enhancing energy independence, reducing prices at the pump, and lowering emissions, all of which are made possible by our farmer customers. John Deere has long worked with farmers to advance and promote the use of crop-based renewable fuels, and we’re proud to partner with Growth Energy to continue this critical work through policy advocacy, industry engagement, and public education.”
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Under the new partnership, Reed also joined the Growth Energy Board of Directors, where he can work aside other agricultural leaders like POET and Cargill to expand markets for U.S. biofuels.
With Deere’s support, we’ll have new opportunities to educate leaders in Congress and the Trump Administration on the needs of rural communities, the benefits of year-round access to E15, a strong and stable Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), and other priorities. The company also will play an important role in showcasing all the different ways the U.S. biofuel industry drives American growth, from the farm to the factory floor.
In fact, in August, the John Deere team made the rounds at NASCAR’s Iowa Corn 350 race in Newton, Iowa, where Austin Dillon drove the #3 Get Bioethanol Chevy. It was an exciting chance to educate the public about how renewable fuels are transforming American industry while supporting a powerful source of ongoing demand for corn, soybeans, grains, oil seeds, and their co-products.
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Of course, John Deere is far from alone. Growth Energy members purchase 20 percent of U.S. corn and represent 60 percent of all domestic bioethanol production capacity. But that’s just our producer plants; we also have 130 members that occupy other parts of the value chain — supporting growers, conducting research, providing financial and logistical services, and all the other facets of the wider bioeconomy.
And our doors are always open. We encourage all those who support a stronger bioeconomy to check out GrowthEnergy.org, attend one of our industry gatherings, and consider lending their own voice to our growing membership network.
