MOLINE, Ill. – John Deere & Co. announced Aug. 26 the approval of B30 biodiesel use for all its Tier 4 John Deere engines, increasing the previously approved limit of B20, according to company officials.

The announcement was highlighted at the 2025 Farm Progress Show, Aug. 26-28, in Decatur, Ill., where all John Deere equipment operated in the company’s Ride and Drive area, running on B30 biodiesel, company officials said. B30 is a fuel blend composed of 30 percent biodiesel and 70 percent petroleum diesel. B20 is a blend of biodiesel that consists of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.

“At John Deere, we’re committed to supporting and growing the use of renewable fuels in our equipment,” said Pierre Guyot, John Deere Power Systems senior vice president, in a media statement. “We believe strongly in the role that renewable fuels plays in supporting the agriculture economy, and are excited to offer our customers – including those who grow the very crops used to make renewable fuels – the opportunity to leverage higher blends of fuels like biodiesel in their own equipment.”

Miles Chiotti, public and industry relations manager for John Deere’s Agriculture and Turf Division in the U.S. and Canada, told Farm World, “This is a crucial step forward as it significantly expands the ability of our customers to utilize higher blends of biodiesel in their equipment, directly contributing to increased demand for these domestically produced renewable fuels.”

He added that this decision underscores how John Deere is committed to providing innovative power solutions that align with the changing needs of the agricultural and industrial sectors.

“It also supports the company’s ongoing efforts to advance and expand the use of renewable fuels – such as biodiesel and ethanol – across all modes of transportation, and helps drive demand for the crop feedstocks grown by our customers that are used to produce them,” he said.

Prior to the announcement, all Tier 4 John Deere engines were approved for B20 biodiesel and RD100 renewable diesel (a branded name for a 100-percent renewable diesel fuel, chemically identical to petroleum diesel, but made from renewable sources like waste fats, residues and vegetable oils), with all Tier 3/Stage III A, and lower tier engines approved for biodiesel blends up to B100 (a pure, 100-percent biodiesel, a clean-burning fuel made from renewable resources like vegetable oils and animal fats, with no petroleum content).

Company officials said all John Deere spark ignition turf and utility equipment are approved for the E10 ethanol blend (fuel that consists of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline). Company officials added John Deere is exploring the use of higher ethanol blends in future engine solutions, including the development of a concept 9.0L ethanol engine (a research and development project by John Deere to create a heavy-duty internal combustion engine designed to run on near-pure ethanol, known as E98).

Hanna Campbell, Michigan Advanced Biofuels Coalition (MiABC) managing director and Michigan Soybean Committee market development director, said, “Allowing use of B30 biodiesel fuel in John Deere equipment is good news for Michigan farmers and Michigan’s rural communities, especially as we head into the fall harvest season.”

Mark Senk, Michigan Soybean Committee president and Owosso, Mich., farmer, said, “Biodiesel is an ideal fuel choice for farm equipment because it is made from crops grown right here on our farms. We at the Michigan Soybean Committee are excited to see higher blends, like B30, approved for agricultural equipment, and look forward to utilizing these blends during harvest this fall.”

Caleb Ragland, American Soybean Association president and ninth-generation Magnolia, Ky., soybean farmer, said, “This is a win-win situation for U.S. soybean farmers and rural communities. Higher blends of biodiesel mean greater demand for the soybeans we grow and cleaner-burning fuel for equipment in the field. John Deere’s leadership in approving the utilization of B30 in their machinery helps move renewable fuels forward, while directly supporting the farmers who help produce them.”