Corn Farmers Applaud Reintroduction of Next Generation Fuels Act in House of Representatives

March 30, 2023
A quote from matt rush that says trade is the largest market for illinois corn and mexico is our largest international customer

Today, the Next Generation Fuels Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill will provide cleaner fuels through higher blends of ethanol for a new generation of vehicles that will be optimized to run on higher-octane fuel.

 

ICGA President Matt Rush, a farmer from Fairfield, said:

 

“We celebrated the Senate introduction of the bill last week when we were lucky enough to be talking with our Illinois Senators in their offices in Washington, DC. Today, again, we are celebrating the leadership of the members of our Illinois delegation that are showing their support for Illinois farmers, Illinois rural communities, cleaner air, and domestic fuel.

“Thank you to Rep. Miller-Meeks from Iowa for leading this charge and our Illinois Reps. Nikki Budzinski and Darin LaHood with Rep. Angie Craig from Minnesota for their bipartisan leadership as sponsors of this important bill. Thank you to Illinois’s original co-sponsors Reps. Mike Bost, Mary Miller, and Eric Sorensen for working together to lead transportation fuels into a new, cleaner era. Illinois farmers are applauding your important work on our behalf today.”

 

The high-octane standard established in the bill allows corn-based ethanol to contribute to a new clean fuel economy. Ethanol is the highest octane, cleanest burning, and least expensive of all the octane additives in the market today.

 

Read more about the U.S. Senate introduction of the bill.

Mexican CANAMI (National Chamber of Industrialized Corn) members at Illinois farm
By Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
IL Corn & USGBC hosted Mexican masa millers on southern Illinois farms and river terminals, strengthening ties with our top corn customer.
holding a cover crop
By IDOA & Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
Pre-enrollment opens Nov. 30 for IDOA’s Fall Covers for Spring Savings program, worth up to $5/acre off 2027 crop insurance premiums.
Josh Linville and Collin Watters
By Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
What’s really driving your fertilizer bill? StoneX’s Josh Linville breaks down global supply, competition, and the long-term fix on IL Corn TV.
thumbnail of Megan and Jared
By Tara Desmond, Megan Dwyer and Brownfield Ag • October 15, 2026
Illinois Corn and U of I built lease addenda to help farmers and landowners build cover crops, soil health and nutrient goals into rental agreements.
headshot of Jenny Webb IFCA president
By Tara Desmond • October 15, 2026
Jenny Webb has spent her career in Illinois agriculture. Now she’s about three months into a new job as president of the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association (IFCA), the group that represents the ag retailers, applicators and suppliers who get fertilizer and crop protection products to your farm when you need them. Webb came to IFCA from Illinois Farm Bureau. She’s new to the fertilizer and chemical side of the business, but not to farmers or to the policy and regulatory issues that affect them. IL Corn sat down with her to talk about what she’s learned so far, the issues facing Illinois ag retailers, and why the work happening behind the scenes deserves more credit than it gets.
Andrew Jolly
By Lyndi Allen • October 15, 2026
A sixth-generation farmer from Chenoa, IL, Andrew Jolly is carrying on his family’s farming legacy while learning how to make his voice heard in agricultural policy as a 2026 GROW participant.
Show More