Some (Not All) 25X’25 Goals Reached by the Close of 2025

Some of the renewable fuels goals spelled out in the 25X‘25 initiative, founded in 2005, have been reached. The aim of 25X’25 (25 by 25) was that by 2025, renewable energy from America's farms, forests and ranches would provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States, while continuing to produce safe, abundant and affordable food, feed and fiber.

“And in many cases, we've reached some of those goals already,” said Ray Gaesser, a farmer from Corning, Iowa.

Speaking on behalf of the Solutions from the Land movement, Gaesser told the South Dakota Soybean Network that achieving some of the 25X’25 goals by the year 2025 took help from many sectors, including wind, solar, corn and soybeans.

“From a soybean perspective,” said Gaesser, a past president of the American Soybean Association, “it was really about biodiesel and how we helped make policy in Washington, D.C. to encourage renewable energy use and encourage facilities to be built around the nation and in the Midwest in particular that made biodiesel and shared the message of how it benefited not only agriculture, but it benefited everyone around the United States and in our states.”

Although not all 25X’25 targets have been reached, Gaesser said that most of the liquid fuels objectives have been met, which includes biodiesel.

“There's a lot of liquid fuel use, but in many states, you know, we're having encouragement from our soybean industry to encourage farmers and to [push for] agriculture and construction to use biodiesel in all their engines and share how safe it is, that it works year round in the blending process,” he said. “And it just benefits everyone, including those who consume biodiesel.”

Going forward, Gaesser concedes uncertainty in U.S. agriculture, trade and renewable energy policy.

“We need to continue to work and share how renewable energy benefits everyone and how it's really an economic development driver. And that's what it's about,” Gaesser explained. “And when we talk about America First, biodiesel, renewable energy is America First policy.”

It’s Gaesser’s contention that 25X’25 does not end just because 2025 is now past. Instead, he said the movement will push forward and seek improvements for the renewable fuels industry.

“And we all need to think about what are the next steps,” he concluded, “what are the next opportunities to make agriculture better.”