Top 4 Harvest Cl Storylines For Farmers to Earmark
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Harvest is a season of focus. Every pass across the field is impactful, every truck to town matters, and every bushel through the combine adds up. But while harvest is ongoing, the carbon intensity (Cl) conversation at the biofuel plants those feedstock suppliers deliver their grain to is accelerating, and the landscape around it continues to evolve in ways that farmers should understand before that harvest focus shifts into decision making for next season.
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If you're a corn farmer or feedstock supplier to a biofuel plant, by all means, focus on getting your crop in a bin this fall. But earmark these key Cl topics for your next rain day, slow down, or Cl conversation to ensure your decision making is sharp, your information is current, and you're ready to strike in a post-harvest seasonal reset.
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Here are four key topics and Cl evolutions that have occurred over the summer and will help farmers make confident Cl-steps heading into the conclusion of the 2025 season.

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#1
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OBBB Signed Into Law and Extended
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Congress enhanced and extended 45Z through the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill (0888) this summer, which secures the policy foundation behind the clean fuel production credit. The extension through 2029 means that the framework for 45Z is not temporary and offsets some of the delays and challenges related to un-released final guidance. It is now set into the value-creation matrix for biofuel producers and will remain in place long enough to matter for long-term decisions.

For farmers, this means the conversation about low-Cl grain is continuing to build momentum. While unique feedstock Cl was not explicitly detailed in the 0888 language, if recognized in favorable (to feedstock suppliers) final US Treasury guidance, corn Cl will be the first value-creator in a biofuel supply chain and will pave the way for potential monetization back to the
farm gate. With 0888 locked in, biofuel plants are not just talking about Cl; most are deploying thoughtful investments and programs to access (and maximize) the credit in 2026 and beyond.

Harvest takeaway: OBBB. 45Z is here to stay and engagement in value-add Cl markets should continue to yield fruit for early adopter feedstock suppliers. As we await final guidance, continue to answer the phone when reasonable Cl opportunities call.
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#2
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Final Guidance is Coming
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The 0888 also included clear instructions for the Treasury Department. It called for final guidance on how 45Z will be implemented to be published before the end of the year. That means the next handful of months stand to be a countdown to clarity.

Today, we already know the broad outlines. GREET is the model that will set the rules. USDA's technical guidelines will shape how feedstock carbon intensity is documented. Independent verification and thorough record keeping will be part of the process. But we continue to wait on the Treasury to ultimately acknowledge the link between user defined feedstocks and biofuel Cl and green-light the established mechanics for scoring the two together.
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For farmers, the current momentum continues to signal a need to prepare. Those who already have management records for past (and current) crops, conservation practice attestation, and support documentation organized will be ready to move the day guidance is finalized. Others may find themselves scrambling to catch up.
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Harvest takeaway: Guidance. The industry is optimistic that final guidance will be delivered in coming months. Stay in touch with your local biofuel plant or trade group to ensure quick education on any new Cl elements final guidance may bring.
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#3‍
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Preliminary Models and Farm Preparation
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While the final guidance is not yet published, the tools for farm-level Cl scoring are already here in draft form. The 45ZCF-GREET and USDA's feedstock carbon intensity calculator (FD-CIC) are both advanced enough to show where realistic Cl reduction opportunities lay.
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Feedstock suppliers know how practices are currently impacting their Cl scores through the USDA and DOE's modeling lens. Nitrogen management cover crop adoption conservation tillage, and well-kept records are some of the key levers that move Cl in the right direction. With functionable and scaleable models available, growers can identify where they stand today and what
adjustments might generate value-creation tomorrow.
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Think of this moment as preseason. The official game starts once the Treasury publishes the final rules, but the" prep" time right now is just as important. A farm that has its nitrogen plans, yield data, and management records ready to go will not only avoid delays but may also have a clear competitive edge in being selected by plants that need low-Cl bushels.
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Harvest takeaway: Modeling. The current USDA Cl scoring model is proving to be successful in pilot and commercial programs across the cornbelt. Systems continue to be built around those models and its key on-farm inputs are likely to remain as cornerstones of a farmer's Cl score.
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#4‍
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Biofuel Plants are Chasing Aggressive Cl Reductions‍‍‍

‍‍‍Biofuel producers are not waiting for the end of the year or final guidance to act. Across the Midwest, plants are already implementing Cl reduction strategies. Some are shifting process fuels from conventional natural gas to renewable natural gas. Others are expanding operational throughput, purchasing RECs, or investing in carbon capture and utilization.
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The message to farmers is clear. Feedstock Cl represents the single largest penalty in the carbon intensity equation, and plants understand this. Origination teams are actively engaging their supplier networks to gather preliminary data, gauge interest in long term programs, and prepare the list of engaged low-feedstock suppliers who would be eligible to participate in a program under
final Treasury guidance. Being part of that "ready and able" list may soon determine which suppliers are able to access potential future value in 2026.
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Harvest takeaway: Your local biofuel plant. 45Z is at the forefront of most biofuel plant's strategic planning. It's a holistic conversation that impacts almost every part of a clean fuel producer's operations. Even if "feedstocks" are not a front-and-center conversation publicly, your local biofuel plant is likely evaluating Cl reduction opportunities from farmgate to fuel pump and remain patient as they work through a strategic roadmap that could include their supplier network.
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Thoughtful Preparation and What Feedstock Suppliers Can Do Now

‍Farmers cannot truly "finalize" a Cl score or documentation until Treasury guidance for 45Z officially recognizes and details its contribution in clean fuel Cl scoring. But this is not a reason to stand still. The farmers who will benefit most are the ones who treat this next season as a time to engage and prepare.
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Start by diligently calibrating monitors and tracking yield this harvest. When your input salesman jumps in a buddy seat, remind them to send you digital receipts of your past-years purchases to archive. Keep track of fall tillage passes, cover crop seedings, and any manure applications. Make sure there is a paper trail, image, digital record for each practice. Just as important, stay in touch with your local elevator or biofuel plant. If they are preparing for 45Z, your readiness could make a difference in whether your bushels are in the first wave of Cl-scored grain or left waiting on the sidelines.
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Bottom Line

‍The summer brought important shifts in the carbon intensity conversation:

• OBBB is signed into law and with it 45Z was enhanced and extended.
• Congress has called for the Treasury to release final 45Z guidance by the end of the year.
• Preliminary Cl scoring tools already exist and have a successful track record for farmers to prepare with.
• Biofuel plants are pushing aggressively to drive Cl reductions today and prepare programs for tomorrow.

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‍Harvest is a busy season, but it is also the right moment to look up from the long rows and see the bigger picture. Cl is not a side note anymore. It is becoming a major component of how biofuel plants compete. The policy is real, the markets are moving, and the opportunity is in front of us. Farmers and feedstock suppliers who focus now will be in the best position to capture value once guidance is delivered and programs are finalized.

Incite.ag Staff
success@incite.ag
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Incite.ag guides producers across the agricultural supply chain to Turn Emissions into Income. Incite.ag’s CI scoring system unlocks novel revenue streams and empowers producers to take control of their unique CI Scores. Learn more by hitting the link below or reach out to the team directly at success@incite.ag or 815.373.0177.