If you want to find out the latest about Section 45Z, carbon intensity and low-CI grain, mark your calendars for June 10. That’s when the TopSoil Summit is slated to take place at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa. This year’s theme is “Built for This,” which organizers said reflects that farmers have already invested in improving soil health and reducing carbon intensity.
“Farmers have spent years improving soil health and lowering their crops’ carbon intensity,” said Mitchell Hora, a Washington, Iowa, farmer and CEO of Continuum Ag, an agricultural software company. “With 45Z now in motion and additional guidance expected soon, this is a critical moment to connect the farm to the fuel market.”
Section 45Z would grant federal tax credits to biofuel manufacturers who make low-carbon fuels. The tax credit’s worth is based on a CI score that tracks the biofuel supply chain’s carbon footprint. It’s estimated that these tax credits could be worth more than $100 per acre in shareable value among those in the value chain, such as biofuel manufacturers, farmers, grain merchandisers, third-party verifiers and others.
The TopSoil Summit brings together more than 400 farmers, biofuel leaders and agriculture professionals to focus on these emerging opportunities. With Section 45Z now in effect and additional guidance expected in 2026, the summit will focus on helping farmers and industry partners understand how to capture value from these efforts, organizers said.
Attendees will:
- hear industry-leading insights on CI and 45Z
- have access to farmers, ethanol plants and ag partners
- hear about real-world strategies they can apply to their operation
- be able to network with 400-plus attendees across the ag value chain
- have breakfast and lunch at the casino, then dinner at the Hora farm
The conference is aimed at:
- farmers looking to understand and benefit from 45Z
- ethanol plants preparing for low CI feedstocks
- ag retailers, advisers and partners
- anyone focused on regenerative ag, CI and the future of ag
Keynote speakers will include Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, and former USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. Cooper’s address will provide insight into:
- Section 45Z policy developments
- global renewable fuel markets and trade
- the broader outlook for the biofuels industry
Vilsack, who currently leads the World Food Prize Foundation, will explore the development of technical guidance behind Section 45Z, including USDA’s role in shaping feedstock carbon intensity frameworks and the feedstock carbon intensity calculator.
He also will provide insights into how federal agencies collaborate on complex policy initiatives, offering attendees a rare behind-the-scenes look at how decisions are made in Washington. Additionally, Vilsack will share his perspective on the current state of agriculture and the opportunities ahead as farmers position themselves to participate in emerging low-carbon markets.
For more information and registration, go here.