Beyond the RFS

This policy brief by the World Resources Institute examines the economic and environmental impacts of increasing corn production to meet the ethanol demands mandated by the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

• The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), established under the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) of 2005, requires the United States to produce 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol annually by 2012, though market conditions indicate production may surpass this target by that date.
• Analysis using an integrated agricultural production and biophysical simulation model indicates that while increasing corn production for ethanol may benefit farm income, reduce government agricultural support, and lower net greenhouse gas emissions, it also creates soil and water quality issues that require mitigation.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Beyond the RFS. https://www.wri.org/research/beyond-rfs

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Beyond the RFS. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/beyond-rfs.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Beyond the RFS |url=https://www.wri.org/research/beyond-rfs |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendbeyond, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Beyond the RFS}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/beyond-rfs}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }