The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $19 million grant allocation aimed at alleviating the financial strain experienced by consumers at fuel pumps. The funding is expected to bolster the production of affordable domestic biofuels, forming part of the Investing in America Agenda.

According to a press release by the USDA, this grant will enhance the availability of biofuels across 22 states. Current studies indicate that gas prices are below $2.99 in over half of American states, which translates into monthly savings exceeding $100 for the average driver when compared to peak prices. This initiative forms part of the current Administration's strategy to reduce costs nationwide and invest in American consumers. The awards are being made through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program.

As stated on the USDA website, the purpose of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program is to boost sales and usage of higher ethanol blends. The program seeks to achieve this by expanding existing infrastructure for renewable fuels derived from U.S. products.

The USDA press release also revealed that Casey's, Piasa Enterprises, and AC&T Inc. are among businesses receiving funding aimed at reducing gas prices for American consumers. Casey's plans to install ethanol blend fuel dispensers across 111 fueling stations using a $5 million grant, with projections indicating that this additional funding will enable an increase in its biofuels supply by more than 50 million gallons annually. Piasa Enterprises Inc., with a $200,000 grant, will install two 30,000-gallon biodiesel storage tanks in Illinois, projecting an annual increase of 2 million gallons in biodiesel sales through this program. Lastly, AC&T Inc.'s expansion plans include increasing their ethanol supply by over 106,000 gallons annually through installing two ethanol fuel dispensers and an ethanol storage tank.

Vilsack commented on President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act saying it "is giving people in rural areas the historic opportunity to expand clean energy and build an economy that benefits working families." He added, "By increasing the supply of biofuels made here in the U.S., we are strengthening our energy independence, lowering costs for American families, creating new streams of income for agricultural producers and bringing good-paying jobs to people in rural communities."