Senator Marshall Pushes EPA for Answers on Used Cooking Oil Imports

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) led their colleagues in demanding answers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the oversight of used cooking oil (UCO) imports, which is necessary for protecting the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the price of homegrown commodities like soybeans.

“Without a robust verification process, the credibility of the RFS is at risk, and American farmers are likely missing out on key market opportunities. For example, through August, the U.S. has imported a historic 3.2 billion pounds of UCO in 2024 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is enough product to displace approximately 270 million bushels of soybeans—more than the average annual state production of all soybean-growing states with the exceptions of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, and Ohio,” the Senators wrote. “While we fully understand good actors are utilizing UCO as part of a diverse array of feedstocks in their renewable fuel production, we have significant concerns about the existing verification process for UCO imports.”

Since sending a letter to the agency in response to the dramatic increase in UCO imports driving down demand for American crops, Senator Marshall has yet to receive a response from the EPA or any evidence they are regulating UCO entering the United States. The agency has instead shifted responsibility to its federal partners, like U.S. Customs and Border Protection who recently responded to Senator Marshall’s initial letter and made it clear they are not verifying imported UCO as a 100% pure, authentic product that would qualify for the RFS.

The full letter can be read below.

Background:

Senator Marshall has previously fought for proper oversight and regulation of UCO on Capitol Hill, ensuring that America’s farmers and ranchers always come first. In September, Senator Marshall introduced the bicameral and bipartisan Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act requiring the Treasury Department to restrict the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks and extending the tax credit to make it a full ten-year credit. The tax credit, which will take effect January 1st, 2025, has the unintended consequence of incentivizing foreign-used cooking oil over homegrown soybean and corn oil. 

Since August 2023, used cooking oil imports from China and other countries have averaged over half a billion pounds per month. As a result, there has been downward pressure on the price of American soybeans, corn, and its derivatives. This drop in soybean prices corresponds to a loss in production value to American farmers of at least $5.4 billion and even more when you calculate corn losses.