Biofuel supply chains · Section 45Z
45Z starts at the field. Make every data point count.
Connect grower onboarding, field-level agricultural data and carbon intensity modeling in one defensible workflow for clean fuel feedstocks.
From farm records to fuel decisions. Corvian helps biofuel producers, feedstock suppliers and grower networks collect, validate and organize the agricultural data needed to assess carbon intensity and support 45Z readiness.
Explore 45Z readinessThe opportunity
Better carbon intensity outcomes begin with better field evidence.
Section 45Z is a U.S. clean fuel production credit for qualifying transportation fuel. USDA’s June 2026 final rule provides a framework to quantify, report and verify the carbon intensity of regenerative feedstocks. The September 2026 45ZCF-GREET model incorporates FD-CIC adjustments for certain practices. Together, these updates make field records an immediate operational priority.
A fuel producer claims the credit. The agricultural data challenge extends upstream across farms, suppliers and sourcing regions. Corvian helps make that information usable at scale.
The field-to-fuel gap
What breaks when information stays fragmented?
Field boundaries, crop history, fertilizer use, tillage, cover crops and yields often live in separate systems or in manual records. Without consistent collection and validation, a supply network cannot easily evaluate practice-based CI opportunities or trace the evidence behind its calculations.
What Corvian delivers
One system for the work behind 45Z.
Bring growers and fields into the program
Coordinate grower enrollment, map field boundaries and gather historical cropping and management records across sourcing regions.
Explore grower onboarding →Capture and validate field activity
Bring together grower input, FarmCommand records, equipment and telematics data, integrations and agronomic review to identify and resolve data gaps.
Explore data management →Prepare usable CI evidence
Organize practice records and supporting evidence for FD-CIC inputs, carbon intensity analysis, independent verification and downstream reporting.
Explore the data foundation →Field-level requirements
Capture the details that shape the model.
The exact inputs depend on the applicable fuel pathway, model version and practice scenario. A strong data foundation is ready to gather and verify:
- Field boundaries and location
- Required crop history and field identification
- Expected and actual yields
- Fertilizer type, amount and timing
- Manure applications and nutrient accounting
- Tillage methods and dates
- Cover crop and grazing practices
- Source records, aggregation and chain of custody
USDA’s June 2026 final rule covers field corn, soybeans, sorghum and spring canola grown in the United States. Its FD-CIC calculator estimates field-level feedstock CI. The September 2026 45ZCF-GREET update incorporates FD-CIC adjustments for certain regenerative practices. Applicable pathways and documentation requirements should be checked against current USDA, DOE and IRS guidance.
2026 guidance · six executive takeaways
What changed—and what your operation needs to do.
USDA defined the feedstock framework
The final rule addresses quantification, reporting and verification for regenerative field corn, soybeans, sorghum and spring canola grown in the United States.
FD-CIC is available
The updated USDA calculator brings field practices into crop-specific CI estimates; September’s 45ZCF-GREET model incorporates adjustments for certain regenerative practices.
Documentation gets more detailed
Track nutrient rates, manure, cover crops and grazing, tillage with T-DISC, and expected and actual yields with records that can be reviewed.
Plan for independent verification
Develop a verification-ready record set and confirm the accredited verification requirements that apply to your feedstock claims.
Chain of custody matters
Document how participating feedstocks move from the field through the first aggregation points; reconcile quantities and preserve source evidence.
Start with your grower network
Align enrollment, approved practices, data systems, model inputs and verification planning before the next production cycle.
How the workflow fits together
From field activity to decision-ready information.
Invite growers, identify fields and establish program permissions.
Collect practice history and operational records from available sources.
Review completeness, reconcile gaps and retain supporting evidence.
Prepare inputs for the applicable CI method and share reporting outputs.
Executive brief · USDA 2026 guidelines
What biofuel producers need to know about USDA’s guidelines and FD-CIC.
A nine-page executive brief on the six takeaways and four operating pillars: data collection and integration, FD-CIC analysis, verification readiness, and reporting.
Inside the brief
- The USDA framework for four domestic crops
- FD-CIC inputs: manure, actual nitrogen, grazing, yields and T-DISC
- Field records and supporting documentation
- Third-party verification and chain of custody
- Immediate steps for ethanol producers and grower networks
Real-world example
See how National Sorghum Producers scaled grower data collection.
Corvian worked with National Sorghum Producers to bring grower onboarding, field data and carbon intensity scoring into a supported workflow. The example shows how a broad producer network can build the data infrastructure needed for sustainability and low-carbon market programs.
This case study describes program operations; it does not establish 45Z credit eligibility for any particular fuel or feedstock.
Program at a glance
Built to work across a real grower network
Explore a practical example of how onboarding support and connected records can scale beyond a small pilot.
Keep exploring
More on 45Z and connected field data.
Questions, answered
45Z data questions.
Explore the common operational questions behind a field-level CI program.
Who claims the 45Z credit?
Eligible U.S. clean fuel producers claim the credit for qualifying fuel. Growers and feedstock suppliers contribute upstream information that may be relevant to a fuel producer’s CI analysis.
What is FD-CIC?
USDA FD-CIC is the Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator for field-level crop-specific CI. The September 2026 45ZCF-GREET model incorporates FD-CIC to calculate adjustments for certain regenerative agricultural practices. Applicable practices and input requirements depend on current model guidance.
Why collect data at the field level?
Field records help document crop history, management practices, input rates and yields. Connected evidence allows teams to review data quality, model the relevant scenarios and trace reported inputs back to their sources.
Does a CI estimate guarantee a 45Z credit?
No. Credit eligibility and value depend on the fuel producer, qualifying fuel, applicable law and guidance, calculation method, and supporting documentation.
Build your 45Z data foundation
Ready to connect the field to your fuel strategy?
Tell us about your grower network, feedstock footprint and reporting needs. We can map where data already exists and what your team needs to capture next.
