Donnelle Eller in the Des Moines Register writes about Mitchell Hora, founder and CEO of Continuum Ag in Washington, Iowa. He believes the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) could transform the fortunes of Iowa farmers while improving soil health. As Hora puts it, “The impact that it can make on soil health and family farms is just tremendous,” potentially providing farmers with up to $100 per acre for adopting environmentally friendly practices. Corn ethanol, along with other feedstocks, could play a pivotal role in supplying SAF for the aviation industry, which accounts for about 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Hora has shifted his company’s focus to helping farmers calculate their crops’ environmental footprint, enabling them to capitalize on these incentives. While some advocate for carbon capture pipelines to ensure renewable fuels’ future, Hora emphasizes regenerative practices like no-till farming and cover crops. “It’s not just about carbon capture,” he notes. “It’s about water quality, biodiversity, and flood mitigation.”
However, challenges remain. Federal regulations for SAF tax credits, expected to go into effect in 2025, still lack clarity. Hora admits, “There’s a lot of unknowns right now. Just tell us the rules, and we’re going to figure out what the opportunity is and how to make it work for us.”
Despite the uncertainty, Hora remains optimistic. Farmers adopting conservation practices could cut ethanol’s carbon intensity and make it viable for SAF, a market that doesn’t yet fully exist but holds immense promise. As Hora concludes, “If we want to make real, meaningful change... we’ve got to have volume.”
