Biodiesel Demand Pushes Soybean Oil Use to 1.7 Billion Pounds Monthly

Soybean oil consumption has hit 1.7 billion pounds per month, according to Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs for Clean Fuels Alliance America, who credited the EPA's "set two" proposal with boosting biodiesel industry capacity from 50% to 90%.

Kovarik spoke with host Mike Pearson on the November 14, 2026 edition of This Week in Agribusiness. The capacity jump is strengthening farm gate prices for soybean growers, he said, tying renewable fuel policy directly to row-crop margins.

What does the WASDE report mean for corn and soybeans?

Bruce Blythe, senior commodities editor with Farm Futures, walked through the latest WASDE report with Pearson. USDA cut corn numbers and raised soybeans. The initial market reaction was bullish.

It didn't last. A strong dollar and favorable South American growing conditions pushed the rally back down, Blythe said. Soybean demand stayed robust; corn sales lagged, with buyers on the sidelines waiting for better pricing.

Karen Braun of Zaner Ag Hedge added context in a separate segment: confirmed lower corn yields, strong Mexican export demand, and rising freight costs are squeezing U.S. grain competitiveness. Soybean stocks-to-use hit a 2023 low. Record Russian and Ukrainian wheat stocks, plus strong Southern Hemisphere crops, are easing global supply fears. China's $17 billion agricultural purchase pledge remains unfulfilled heading into Trump-Xi talks — a number worth tracking, not banking on.

Ohio wraps record harvest amid fertilizer shortages

Ty Higgins, general manager at Ohio AgNet, reported Ohio's harvest is nearly complete with record yields. The catch: shortages of potash, MAP, and DAP are forcing costly workarounds for fall fertility.

What does this change for 2027 planting? Not much, apparently. Most Ohio farmers plan to maintain their crop rotations, Higgins said, basing next year's decisions on markets rather than on fertilizer availability or rising diesel costs. Input scarcity is an expense line, not a rotation driver.

Pioneer's Z Series soybeans post yield gains

Pioneer agronomist Jason McVicker of Illinois reviewed the 2026 soybean season with Pearson. He praised the Z Series soybeans for yield improvements over the previous A Series.

Early-season soil saturation stressed the crop, but the Z Series pushed through, and August rains boosted final yields. His advice for 2027: diversify maturities to spread weather and harvest risk.

Organic grower nomination honors five generations

Justin Miller, co-owner of Twin Peaks Orchard in Newcastle, California, discussed the farm's nomination for Organic Grower of the Year. Alongside partner Camille Enriquez and farm manager Valentin Enriquez, Miller grows diverse organic crops and honors Camille's fourth-generation farming legacy. A fifth generation is now involved, after the operation rebuilt from a devastating 2008 fire.

Weather outlook

Greg Soulje delivered the weekly forecast and returned later with an extended outlook — a variable producers will watch closely as South American conditions keep pressuring U.S. basis.

Also this week

• Max's Tractor Shed featured a 1962 Caterpillar D6 from Liberty, North Carolina, owned by Erik Christenbury.
• The FFA Tribute went to Carolina Rhea, Kentucky State FFA Vice President. Rhea traced her path into agriculture to childhood visits to her grandfather's farm in Webster County, and credited FFA camp and supporting members at the National Convention as career highlights.
• Tech correspondent Chad Colby recapped Apple's latest releases: the foldable iPhone Duo, the upgraded iPhone 18 Pro lineup, a redesigned iPad Mini with an OLED screen, and new health-focused smartwatches with improved heart rate monitoring.
• Mark Stock brought the weekly Big Iron Auctions segment.

The through-line for growers: policy-driven demand and tight soybean stocks are propping one side of the ledger, while freight costs, a strong dollar, and input shortages squeeze the other — and WASDE's next move, plus the Trump-Xi talks on that $17 billion pledge, will shape how the balance settles.