The Illinois Soybean Association’s District 10 Director and Board Secretary Elliott Uphoff is in the thick of the harvest season and is proving that biodiesel can fuel your bottom line all year long.

Uphoff fuels up with B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel, in his semi-trucks and B11 in his farming equipment to get through the early morning and late harvest nights. He has used B11 in his trucks for nearly four years and year-round for two. In the last year he made the switch to B20 and has continued to have consistent fuel mileage with no issues.

“Biodiesel and the farming operation go hand in hand. It’s something we help produce and that we need to fuel our operation,” Uphoff says. “I never think twice about using biodiesel. It’s safe and proven on our farm. Farmers should be champions of a product they help produce.”  

In a recent rebranding effort, ISA created a truck wrap for Uphoff’s grain truck to promote the use of biodiesel to farmers across the state. Farmers in central Illinois have likely seen Uphoff’s truck on the road as it’s played an active role this harvest delivering soybeans from the field to the elevator. 

“The quality of biodiesel is very important, and I’ve had a good conversation with my supplier. My B20 supplier sources all of its oil directly from soybeans which makes me feel even better about using it,“ Uphoff says.

ISA is working to educate farmers and overcome preconceived notions about biodiesel including quality and equipment integration challenges. B20 and lower biodiesel blends can be used in any diesel vehicle without any modifications. For more information on biodiesel, check out our new farmer-facing biodiesel resources available at ilsoy.org/farmer-resources-biodiesel