Cruising with Renewable Fuels is presented by the Nebraska Soybean Board.
John Deere is working with farmers in Iowa and Illinois this planting season to demonstrate higher biodiesel blends in real-world field conditions, as part of a push to build confidence in renewable fuels across agricultural operations.
The initiative is focused on helping producers understand how B30 biodiesel performs in equipment already approved for higher blends.
“The way I like to describe this is a demonstration more than research,” said Josh Garretson, director of renewable fuels and corporate strategy.
Garretson said the effort is designed to give farmers hands-on experience with fuel performance, storage considerations and seasonal impacts as adoption expands across the Corn Belt.
He also emphasized the broader agricultural cycle behind the fuel.
“It’s a great circularity story, which is what we really love the fact that farmers can grow soybeans… take it to the crush facility. It gets converted into biodiesel and can come back into the farm,” Garretson said.
John Deere currently supports B30 biodiesel blends in its Tier 4 engines and higher blends of renewable diesel in select applications, according to the company. The demonstration also includes evaluating storage systems, as biodiesel can interact differently with older or unclean fuel tanks.
Garretson said early findings from internal studies show only modest performance differences at higher blends.
“A 30 percent biodiesel blend is like a three percent reduction in power,” he said, adding that the difference is generally difficult for operators to notice in the field.
The company is partnering with fuel suppliers and participating farmers across the region and plans to compile results through the rest of the growing season.