Western Dubuque Biodiesel in Farley marks 500-millionth gallon

Western Dubuque Biodiesel, a biodiesel plant in Farley, has produced its 500-millionth gallon of biodiesel, the Iowa Biodiesel Board said. The plant reached the milestone in October, and has done so without a single recordable accident from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, plant officials said. Since opening its doors in August 2007, Western Dubuque Biodiesel has grown into one of the area's anchor employers, with 23 direct employees and 19 contract drivers. It has the nameplate capacity to produce 45 million gallons of biodiesel per year, using soybean oil, a locally grown resource. "One of things I'm most proud of is that biodiesel has made Farley and the surrounding area a better place for the people living here now and for the next generation," said Tom Brooks, the general manager of Western Dubuque Biodiesel. "Every gallon we make supports our farmer neighbors, truckers, the restaurants, soybean-crush employees and more. Our dollars really churn in a town of about 1,700 people." Brooks estimates that through 2025, the plant has contributed more than $145 million to the state's economy since it began operating in 2007, not including construction. "We congratulate Tom and the entire Western Dubuque Biodiesel team," said Iowa Biodiesel Board Executive Director Doug Struyk. "Plants like this one are what make Iowa the nation's leading biodiesel producer." The milestone comes as Iowa's biodiesel industry rebounds, with Renewable Fuel Standard volumes and the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit now in place; eight plants are operating in the state with capacity to produce more than 400 million gallons per year. Iowa's biodiesel production and promotion tax credits are both set to expire Dec. 31, 2027, and lawmakers will decide whether to extend them during the upcoming legislative session.