U.S. Ethanol Exports Set Records for 4 Straight Months

Exports of American ethanol are climbing to record levels as bilateral trade agreements expand global demand and open key markets for producers.

While the ethanol industry waits for Congress to advance year-round E15 legislation, ethanol exports are climbing to record highs, boosting demand and providing a bright spot for the industry.

Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy — a biofuel trade association representing more than 60% of U.S. bioethanol producers and 25% of global production — said increased exports are good news for the ethanol industry.

"We have had four months of over 200 million gallons of ethanol exported. Prior to November of last year, we had never exported more than 200 million gallons in a month, so we're on a really, really good trajectory," she said at a recent meeting of the North American Agricultural Journalists in Washington, D.C.

Gretchen Kuck, an economist with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), told the group: “We're hoping E15 will provide some leverage amid uncertainty. Trade has been a really big, bright success story for us, and we're hoping to maintain those markets in the future, especially as we compete with our South American friends.”

Ethanol Agreements

The Trump Administration has included ethanol in multiple bilateral trade agreements. Skor said allowing other countries to reduce their trade deficit by importing American ethanol, thereby avoiding potential tariffs, is big for corn growers and the ethanol industry. She said, "The overall signal to the international community is that ethanol is top of mind for the Administration.”

Now, she said, it’s time to make sure those agreements are fulfilled.

For example, as part of a broader trade agreement in July 2025, Japan agreed to purchase an additional $8 billion in U.S. agricultural exports. That includes an additional 80 million gallons of ethanol per year, or $150–200 million in sales. The agreement also paved the way for sustainable aviation fuel sales to Japan. “Let's make sure we see that come to fruition,” Skor said.

In May 2025, the U.K.-U.S. Economic Prosperity Deal eliminated the 19% tariff the U.K. had applied to U.S. ethanol on up to 368 million gallons per year. It also included concessions for U.S. beef. “That's one of our top ethanol trading partners, so I think that's a really good example,” Skor said.

"A lot of the countries that have a growing middle class, they want low-cost fuel, they want low-carbon fuel. So, the trade deals are coming at a time when we're seeing exports naturally increase anyway, so hopefully we'll just augment that," she said.

Meanwhile, in Brazil — the second-largest ethanol exporter behind the U.S. — blend rates are being increased. That could mean they will have less ethanol to export. "They're going from 27% to 30%, and they've indicated maybe 35%. The more they consume, the better that will be for us in terms of our global market opportunities,” Skor said.

Trade With Our Neighbors

The trade association is also keeping tabs on the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will be undergoing a review in July.

"We want this to be a review, not a renegotiation," Skor said. "Canada has been our biggest trading partner on the ethanol side for many years. Almost 40% of what we export goes to Canada." She said a Canadian clean fuel regulation encourages blending more than 10%, with some of the most populous provinces looking at E15.

National Corn Growers Association CEO Neil Caskey released a statement urging renewal of the accord. “For the corn industry, USMCA represents our No. 1 corn ethanol export market. USMCA has served as a huge economic engine that has bolstered the agricultural economy and rural America in once unthinkable ways.”

EDITOR’S TAKE:

This is welcomed news for U.S. corn growers. The combination of ethanol sales and E15 are spurring demand and helping to boost corn prices at the farm gate. This may signal a way to overcome recent oversupply and price pressures that have many farmers operating on very thin margins. Let’s hope these trends continue and operating margins improve.

Improved prices and higher operating margins at the farm level can quickly lead to increased demand for your trucks and SUV’s. Research has repeatedly shown that farmers will spend when they are comfortable with their financial situation. The recent developments with ethanol exports will clearly help towards that objective. Make sure you keep your inventory on AgTruckTrader.com®. Keep it up to date because farmers will be looking for that new truck soon.