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The Ohio Soybean Association has announced that state lawmakers are currently weighing legislative proposals aimed at expanding Ohio's biofuels sector in 2027.
Brandon Kern, the organization's deputy executive director, said the association is actively supporting legislation that would provide financial incentives for biodiesel production across the state.
'Bio-based diesel is actually cheaper than petroleum-based diesel right now,' Kern said. 'It gives us another option. If we can increase the amount of that in the marketplace, it's only going to help insulate prices for the future.'
Northwest Ohio farmer Rusty Goebel echoed the sentiment, noting that a thriving biodiesel industry could generate new economic activity across the entire supply chain.
'There's a lot of soybeans that need to be processed in Ohio,' Goebel said. 'If we can get someone here in the state, we could keep it in our area. If we can get a cheaper fuel in Ohio, that would be a benefit to the general public, not just farmers.'
The proposed legislation is expected to come up for consideration when the Ohio General Assembly reconvenes in Columbus for the 2027 legislative session on January 4.
Brownfield interviewed Kern and Goebel during the 2026 Farm Science Review, an annual agricultural exposition held in Ohio.
Source: Brownfield Ag News