Ethanol exports from the United States reached new heights last year, setting volume and value records in the process.

According to new numbers from USDA, the U.S. exported 1.9 billion gallons of ethanol in 2024 — up 36% from the prior year — worth $4.3 billion, besting volume records set in 2018 and dollar totals from 2023.

It’s good news for farmers, with ethanol exports accounting for 11% of U.S. corn used for ethanol production and 4% of total U.S. corn demand in 2023-24.

“The numbers don’t lie,” said Emily Skor, CEO of biofuels industry group Growth Energy.

“The world is looking to the U.S. to meet its fuel needs and American producers are delivering in a way that supports economic growth abroad and at home in rural communities across the country.”

Skor said Growth Energy looks forward to working with President Trump and his team to ensure that momentum continues in a way that further grow the American farm economy through sales of American ethanol abroad, and noted that the U.S. ethanol industry had a nearly $4 billion trade surplus in 2024.

The countries that are embracing ethanol have changed over time, USDA noted, pointing to shifting export volumes and destinations over the past decade.

“Brazil was once the top U.S. destination, but as Brazil expanded corn ethanol production, the volume of U.S. exports shrank,” USDA wrote. Read More