The demand is unprecedented — and so is the opportunity. Meeting the volumes created by the RFS and other federal and state policies will take innovation, expansion and leadership. This session brings together high-level voices from across the feedstock landscape to explore where that growth is coming from — from the established strength of oilseeds and rendering to the next wave of intermediate oilseeds, as well as new crush capacity coming online. Panelists will also unpack how evolving policies and standards are shaping smarter, more resilient strategies.
Moderator:
J. Alan Weber
Partner
MARC-IV Consulting
J. Alan Weber is a founding partner of MARC-IV (M4), a consulting company dedicated to fostering biobased innovations. He has played a pivotal role in guiding the commercialization of biodiesel since the industry’s inception in 1991. A nationally recognized economist, Alan brings extensive expertise in the soybean industry, soil health strategies, cover crop integration in row crop production and emerging carbon markets.
Among his current efforts, Alan leads economic analyses on the impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), quantifying the benefits of increased biodiesel and renewable diesel use while creating valuable markets for U.S. farmers. He serves as a director on the Board of CoverCress, Inc., an innovative startup developing a new winter oilseed crop and low-carbon feedstock for biofuels under the CoverCress™ brand. Alan also collaborates with the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, focusing on carbon market opportunities for farmers through the Missouri Climate Resilient Crop & Livestock Project.
His federal committee appointments include service on the EPA’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee and the USDA and DOE’s Biomass Research & Development Initiative Technical Advisory Committee.
In addition to his consulting work, he is an active producer, farming nearly 900 acres with his family in central Missouri using climate-smart agricultural practices such as no-till and cover crops.
Alan holds an M.S. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri.