IAS ELEVATE: A Member-First Path to the 45Z Opportunity
Jul 22, 2026
IAS is pleased to introduce IAS ELEVATE, a member-first program designed to help you participate in carbon intensity (CI) and 45Z opportunities with the local support and combined knowledge you rely on from IAS grain originators, agronomy sales advisors, and sustainability staff members. Consistent with our commitment to our mission of "Growing Relationships to Maximize Success," this is an IAS-led program run by the team you already know. IAS ELEVATE is built to connect with you locally and identify practice changes that make sense for your operation--backed by the support of your cooperative’s investment in Pine Lake Corn Processors.
The driver: 45Z
The Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act and extended through 2029, rewards the production of lower-carbon transportation fuels. On June 26, the USDA released its final updates to the feedstock model that governs how farm-level practices translate into a CI score. That clarity—covering tillage, cover crops, and nutrient management, among other practices—is what allows us to move forward now. For this initial phase, IAS ELEVATE is focused on corn.
How it works:
The foundation of this program is mass balance, a methodology that closely mirrors the cooperative model on which IAS was built. Because of our ownership of Pine Lake Corn Processors and the bushels we move through that supply chain, you can participate through your normal markets—without additional miles to a physical ethanol plant. If you conduct grain business with IAS, whether you deliver to our elevator or into a direct-ship market, you are eligible to participate. For example, a Waukon customer can still deliver to the river, sell grain through IAS, and take part in the program. IAS will handle the heavy lifting so you can participate with confidence.
The value:
We want to be clear: this program begins by gathering information, not by promising a premium. While the opportunity is real and meaningful, the value must be unlocked by capturing enough information to prove sufficient corn volume with enough CI point reduction to move PLCP, or another biofuel plant, into the next threshold of 45Z credit. Currently, we know how the reduction of CI for corn is calculated through the USDA model, and we know the ethanol plant’s CI score. The missing piece, and this program’s intent, is to aggregate enough information to unlock the premium from corn. Any premium will depend on final regulatory guidance, buyer demand, CI score validation, delivery linkage, and complete documentation. Please note that acres already enrolled in other privately funded carbon or regenerative programs are not eligible for that program year.
Next steps:
Take the following steps to get involved:
The driver: 45Z
The Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act and extended through 2029, rewards the production of lower-carbon transportation fuels. On June 26, the USDA released its final updates to the feedstock model that governs how farm-level practices translate into a CI score. That clarity—covering tillage, cover crops, and nutrient management, among other practices—is what allows us to move forward now. For this initial phase, IAS ELEVATE is focused on corn.
How it works:
The foundation of this program is mass balance, a methodology that closely mirrors the cooperative model on which IAS was built. Because of our ownership of Pine Lake Corn Processors and the bushels we move through that supply chain, you can participate through your normal markets—without additional miles to a physical ethanol plant. If you conduct grain business with IAS, whether you deliver to our elevator or into a direct-ship market, you are eligible to participate. For example, a Waukon customer can still deliver to the river, sell grain through IAS, and take part in the program. IAS will handle the heavy lifting so you can participate with confidence.
The value:
We want to be clear: this program begins by gathering information, not by promising a premium. While the opportunity is real and meaningful, the value must be unlocked by capturing enough information to prove sufficient corn volume with enough CI point reduction to move PLCP, or another biofuel plant, into the next threshold of 45Z credit. Currently, we know how the reduction of CI for corn is calculated through the USDA model, and we know the ethanol plant’s CI score. The missing piece, and this program’s intent, is to aggregate enough information to unlock the premium from corn. Any premium will depend on final regulatory guidance, buyer demand, CI score validation, delivery linkage, and complete documentation. Please note that acres already enrolled in other privately funded carbon or regenerative programs are not eligible for that program year.
Next steps:
Take the following steps to get involved:
- Expect a call from your IAS grain or agronomy contact, who will walk you through the program and complete your onboarding form.
- Gather your records for the 2025 and 2026 crop years now. Accurate production, practice, and delivery information for your enrolled acres is required to participate.
- Disclose any acres currently enrolled in other carbon or regenerative programs.
This is a genuine opportunity to connect the practices already underway on your farm to emerging biofuel feedstock markets and to build the foundation for the 2026 crop. Watch for a call from your IAS team, and thank you for continuing to grow with us.