USDA opens farm programs to aviation fuel, betting on rural growth
H.R. 1719 — Farm to Fly Act of 2025 · Filed by Max Miller (R-OH) · 17 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 27, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to include sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as an eligible biofuel within USDA bio-energy programs. It defines SAF as liquid fuel meeting specific ASTM standards with at least 50% lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction compared to petroleum jet fuel, and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to coordinate across USDA agencies to support SAF development, commercialization, and rural economic benefits through public-private partnerships and biorefinery assistance programs.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to integrate sustainable aviation fuel into existing USDA biofuel programs, creating new agricultural markets and rural economic opportunities. It is fundamentally a sectoral expansion of existing farm-support infrastructure, not a new regulatory regime or appropriation.
What the text implies
- By defining SAF eligibility through ASTM standards and GREET model certification, the bill may create de facto technical barriers that favor certain feedstock types (e.g., waste oils, algae) over others, potentially concentrating SAF production among larger agricultural operations or specialized refineries.
- The 50% lifecycle GHG reduction threshold is science-based but may shift over time as aviation decarbonization accelerates; the bill does not specify a mechanism for updating the standard, potentially locking in a baseline that becomes obsolete.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
agricultural commodity producers (corn, soybeans, waste oils); biorefinery operators and renewable fuel companies; aviation fuel suppliers and airlines