USDA opens farm programs to aviation fuel, betting on rural growth

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.
• Public-private partnership language is broad and undefined; USDA discretion in selecting partners could favor established agribusiness over smaller farmers or cooperatives without explicit equity guardrails.
• The bill does not address land-use change emissions or indirect effects of increased feedstock demand on commodity prices, which could affect food affordability for low-income households.

Who it affects

The bill expands market opportunities for farmers by creating new demand for agricultural feedstocks as SAF inputs, supports rural economic development, and advances climate goals by promoting lower-emission aviation fuel. The public benefits from reduced aviation emissions and diversified agricultural income without apparent direct costs to consumers or taxpayers.

Who stands to gain

• agricultural commodity producers (corn, soybeans, waste oils)
• biorefinery operators and renewable fuel companies
• aviation fuel suppliers and airlines
• agricultural equipment and input manufacturers

Named in the bill

USDA (Department of Agriculture), Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, ASTM International, International Civil Aviation Organization, Argonne National Laboratory, Internal Revenue Code Section 45K, GREET model, Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation

Where it stands

17 cosponsors: 13 Republicans, 4 Democrats.

• Feb 27, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Feb 27, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Agriculture · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

9 lobbying clients named this bill on 14 disclosure filings across 3 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $8,961,100 in lobbying spend. A filing names 13 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 89% of bills with at least one filing.

Max Miller, the sponsor, reported $721,249 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (d/b/a Airlines for America) — $2,301,100 on 2 filings
• Growth Energy Inc — $2,170,000 on 3 filings
• Delta Air Lines Inc — $1,460,000 on 1 filing
• United Airlines Inc — $1,110,000 on 1 filing
• Poet, LLC — $770,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.