July 7, 2023
BY Erin Krueger
The U.S. exported 113.19 million gallons of ethanol and 958,386 metric tons of distillers grains in May, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on July 6. Ethanol exports were down, while distillers grains exports were up.
The 133.19 million gallons of ethanol exported in May was down when compared to both the 125.68 million gallons exported the previous month and the 138.85 million liters exported in May 2022.
The U.S. exported ethanol to approximately 40 countries in May. Canada was the top destination for U.S. ethanol exports at 50.98 million gallons, followed by the Netherlands at 21.27 million gallons, and the U.K. at 9.67 million gallons.
The value of U.S. ethanol exports fell to $319.41 million in May, down from $332.02 million in April and $394.6 million in May of last year.
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Total ethanol exports for the first five months of 2023 reached 592.99 million gallons at a value of $1.61 billion, compared to 696.75 million gallons exported during the same period of last year at a value of $1.87 billion.
The 958,385 metric tons of distillers grains exported in May is up from both the 777,617 metric tons exported in April and the 957,087 metric tons exported in May of last year.
The U.S. exported distillers grains to nearly three dozen countries in May. Mexico was the top destination for U.S. distillers grains export at 163,731 metric tons, followed by Turkey at 146,559 metric tons and South Korea at 103,925 metric tons.
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The value of U.S. distillers grain exports reached $319.11 million in May, up from both $259.69 million the previous month and $310.02 million during the same month of last year.
Total distillers grains exports for the first five months of the year reached 4.17 million metric tons at a value of $1.38 billion, compared to 4.64 million metric tons exported during the same period of 2022 at a value of $1.37 billion.
Additional data is available on the USDA FAS website.
The U.S. exported 31,160.5 metric tons of biodiesel and biodiesel blends of B30 and greater in May, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on July 3. Biodiesel imports were 2,226.2 metric tons for the month.
CARB on June 27 announced amendments to the state’s LCFS regulations will take effect beginning on July 1. The amended regulations were approved by the agency in November 2024, but implementation was delayed due to regulatory clarity issues.
Legislation introduced in the California Senate on June 23 aims to cap the price of Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits as part of a larger effort to overhaul the state’s fuel regulations and mitigate rising gas prices.
The government of Brazil on June 25 announced it will increase the mandatory blend of ethanol in gasoline from 27% to 30% and the mandatory blend of biodiesel in diesel from 14% to 15%, effective Aug. 1.
The U.S. EIA reduced its 2025 and 2026 production forecasts for a category of biofuels that includes SAF in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released June 10. The forecast for 2025 renewable diesel production was also revised down.