BREEZY POINT, Minn. — Soybean growers in Minnesota are breathing a sigh of relief at the announcement of the dismissal of the “Clean Cars Rule.”
Minnesota adopted California’s Clean Cars Rule in 2021. On June 30, the state of Minnesota withdrew the entire Clean Cars Rule.
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The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association partnered up with other fuel and energy groups to oppose the rule in 2023 in a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, challenged the legality of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules that required new cars, light-duty trucks and medium-duty vehicles in the state to meet emission limits set by California and match California’s requirements for the sale of a certain percentage of so-called “zero-emission vehicles,” as defined by California regulators.
The reason the soybean growers were pushing back is because of the major headway they have made with building a biofuel industry in the state, which helps to power internal combustion engines that are not labeled as zero-emission vehicles. While they may not be labeled as such, association members said that biofuels are clean and a renewable fuel produced domestically that the state should be supporting, not hurting.
The lawsuit contended that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which creates a uniform national standard for vehicle fuel efficiency, prohibits states from adopting policies “related to” federal fuel-economy standards. EPCA says that a “State or a political subdivision of a State” cannot “adopt or enforce a law or regulation related to fuel economy standards or average fuel economy standards.”
“Biofuels reduce emissions already,” newly installed MSGA President Ryan Mackenthun said in an interview with Agweek. “So we’ve been fighting emissions for decades. So to have a standard like that set by another state coming to our state, if we’re going to have a standard, let’s have one set by Minnesotans, for Minnesota, and benefits agriculture, which benefits our state and our communities.”
Minnesota was one of 17 states to follow California's lead in adopting clean car regulations that went beyond federal laws. In Minnesota, the program was part of the state's Climate Action Framework that aims to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2030.
The rule dismissal turned out to be one of the talking points about the importance of membership into the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association at the 20th annual “Future of Soy Summit” on Tuesday, July 21. It was through membership dollars and voices as well as working with other groups, that they were able to push back on the rule and see it removed.
“Court cases are costly and can take a long time — this one took over three years,” Mackenthun said. “To continue prevailing in the court system, resources are required and that’s why membership in MSGA is so important.”
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MSGA Executive Director Joe Smentek said it’s the association arm that is able to go after rules like this that he said are harmful to the soybean industry.
According to the MSGA, Minnesota’s biodiesel industry contributes nearly $1.7 billion toward the state’s economy.
Another aspect that growers are fighting back against is the misconception that producing more biofuels equates to more land entering production. Jamie Beyer, who farms with her family near Wheaton, Minnesota, and is a member of the American Soybean Association board of directors, said that farms are losing ground, not gaining.
“That isn’t how it works,” Beyer said. “There are no more acres. We’re losing acres nationwide. It happens in Brazil, but it’s not happening here.”
The motion that was filed on June 30 states:
- Defendants will not enforce the greenhouse gas emissions standards or the zero emissions standards (Minnesota Rule Rules 7023.0250 or 7023.0300) for vehicles produced or delivered for sale or lease after model year 2025.
- Defendants have initiated state notice-and-comment rulemaking to repeal Rules 7023.0250 and 7023.0300 by publishing a “Notice of Intent to Repeal Obsolete Rules” in the Minnesota State Register on June 29, 2026.
- Defendants will make best efforts to finalize the Rules 7023.0250 and 7023.0300 by Dec. 31, 2026.
- After such repeal is complete, defendants must engage in new notice-and-comment rulemaking to adopt any vehicle emissions standards as rules of the state.
Mackenthun and Smentek said it wasn’t enough for the state to announce that the rule was obsolete after success was seen in increasing electric vehicle sales in the state. The MPCA declared the rule obsolete with the end of the automobile industry's 2025 model year, after approximately 7% of all new light-duty vehicle sales in 2024 were electric vehicles. The goal was 6%. They wanted to make sure it was dismissed altogether.
“We’re not against emission standards,” Mackenthun said. “We just want to make sure it benefits Minnesota as a whole, not to blindly follow another state’s standard.”
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The process began in May when Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison submitted a letter to initiate the dismissal of the case.
Facts Only
* Minnesota withdrew the Clean Cars Rule on June 30.
* The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association partnered with other groups to oppose the rule in a lawsuit.
* The lawsuit challenged Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules requiring new vehicles to meet California's emission limits and match California's requirements for zero-emission vehicles.
* Growers pushed back based on progress in building a domestic biofuel industry.
* The lawsuit contended that the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act prohibits states from adopting policies related to federal fuel-economy standards.
* MSGA President Ryan Mackenthun stated that biofuels reduce existing emissions.
* Minnesota was one of 17 states that followed California's lead in clean car regulations beyond federal law.
* The dismissal process involved Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison initiating the case.
* The rule was declared obsolete by the MPCA following approximately 7% of new light-duty vehicle sales in 2024 being electric vehicles, aiming for a 6% goal.
* The motion sought to dismiss enforcement of greenhouse gas and zero-emission standards for vehicles after the 2025 model year.
Executive Summary
Soybean growers in Minnesota are relieved that the Clean Cars Rule, which Minnesota adopted from California in 2021, was withdrawn. The association partnered with other groups to challenge the rule via a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, arguing that state regulations conflicting with federal fuel-economy standards were unlawful. Growers contended that biofuels are clean and domestically produced, suggesting the state should support the biofuel industry rather than hinder it.
The legal challenge focused on whether states could adopt emission limits based on another state's requirements, referencing the Energy Policy and Conservation Act which establishes national standards. Association leadership argued that setting a standard within Minnesota would better benefit Minnesota and its agricultural sector. The dismissal of the rule was tied to the growth in electric vehicle sales, as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency declared the rule obsolete following 2025 model year targets for new light-duty vehicles.
The process involved litigation spanning over three years, which required significant resources, underscoring the importance of membership in the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA). The MSGA contends that their association is necessary to challenge rules harmful to the soybean industry and highlight the economic contribution of the state's biodiesel industry. Furthermore, growers raised concerns that shifting focus to biofuels does not necessarily equate to gaining land, noting a perceived loss of acreage nationwide.
Full Take
The narrative demonstrates a strategic convergence between state-level environmental policy, agricultural economic interests, and federal regulatory interpretation. The core tension is between autonomous state regulatory authority and the principle of unified national standards, framed specifically through the lens of biofuel development. The soybean growers' success hinged on positioning biofuels not merely as an alternative fuel but as a beneficial, domestic agricultural system that should be supported by the state, rather than being constrained by external mandates.
The pattern suggests that local economic concerns, when channeled effectively through organized advocacy and sustained litigation, can successfully challenge regulations derived from external precedents. The claim regarding land use—that biofuel production does not equate to increased acreage—is a crucial piece of framing that reframes the environmental debate away from simple land-use conflicts toward complex energy system dynamics. The fact that the process required over three years and significant resources highlights how institutional membership functions as a necessary bridge between diffuse agricultural concerns and formal legal systems.
The implication for human agency lies in recognizing the architecture of regulatory capture: success is achieved when local actors successfully insert their specific context (agricultural benefit) into the abstract legal framework (federal standards). The system relies on the ability of organized bodies, like the MSGA, to translate sector-specific realities into legally contestable arguments that align with evolving public priorities, even when those priorities conflict with broader regulatory trajectories.
Bridge Questions: If state-level consensus is the preferred route for emission standard setting, what mechanisms could be developed to ensure agricultural economic inputs are formally weighted in the initial drafting phase of federal fuel economy standards? How can the benefits of domestic biofuel production be integrated into national energy policy without creating new conflicts over jurisdictional authority between state and federal entities? What impact does this successful local defense have on the ability of other specialized industries to pursue similar regulatory autonomy?
Sentinel — Human
This article presents a complex interplay between state regulatory action, industry lobbying (biofuels), and legal challenges, showing the textured reality of stakeholder negotiation rather than a simple factual report.