Edwardsville: The future of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will depend on strong partnerships among farmers, fuel producers, the aviation industry and government leaders, according to panelists participating in a discussion during the 2026 Global Aerospace Summit in the St. Louis region. During a session titled “The Future of Flight Runs on SAF,” attendees heard how Illinois, Missouri and the broader Midwest corn belt are positioned to play a leading role in expanding domestic SAF production while creating new opportunities for agricultural producers and strengthening the aviation industry, according to a press release.
Moderated by Darren James, director of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, the panel featured Jim Hedges, CEO of CoverCress, an ag-tech company developing a winter oilseed crop grown between corn and soybean seasons, and Cindy Tomei, president of the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Institute (SAFII). The discussion focused on the current state of the SAF industry, the need for investment in production and infrastructure, and the critical role agriculture will play in meeting growing demand for lower-carbon aviation fuels.
“Illinois has emerged as a leader in the SAF space, with industry, government and research organizations collaborating to attract projects and advance the sector,” Tomei said.
She discussed how the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Institute (SAFII) was established in Illinois two years ago following a state-led SAF summit convened at the governor’s request. That event brought together stakeholders from across the aviation fuel ecosystem and highlighted the need for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)-specific testing standards, technical expertise and workforce training. She said, today, the Institute, which is headquartered in Sugar Grove, Illinois, serves as a hub for SAF education, testing and industry collaboration. It provides hands-on laboratory training in fuel testing, helps organizations understand SAF properties and blending considerations, and connects stakeholders across the global SAF supply chain.
Discussing recent progress in the SAF industry, Tomei said it has been accelerated by greater clarity around the federal 45Z tax credit and improvements in calculating carbon intensity scores, which help determine incentive eligibility.
At the same time, growing global demand, including sustainable aviation fuel mandates across the European Union and continuing challenges moving oil through the Strait of Hormuz, has increased awareness of SAF and heightened the urgency to scale production and deployment. As demand for sustainable aviation fuel continues to accelerate, Tomei said it’s increasingly important to build the infrastructure needed to move fuel from production facilities to airports. She noted that O’Hare is in one of the top 10 airports for SAF procurement worldwide.
“Speed is really of the essence, whether it is getting SAF scaled up regardless of what the feedstock is, but also having the right infrastructure to get it transported, stored and blended with jet fuel, so that it can actually be used,” Tomei said.
The panel also highlighted the important role Midwest agriculture can play in supporting SAF and other renewable fuel feedstock production. Hedges, whose company continued to hit significant milestones over the past year, noted that meeting future demand will require additional feedstocks and innovative crops that can complement existing farming operations while providing new revenue opportunities from existing acreage for producers.
“I see a huge role for Midwest agriculture,” Hedges said. “We’re crushing so many soybean acres already, but there’s no new soybean acres coming in. As all types of renewable fuels use continue to grow, we need to have supply to fulfill the demand. You have to have these new types of crops… canola, camelina, as well as CoverCress. These are crops that are planted when ground is fallow so they are truly additive to the supply of feedstock. We want everybody to be successful, because I think our biggest challenge is not meeting the demand.”
The discussion underscored how emerging feedstocks and technologies can position farmers as increasingly important participants in the future aviation fuel supply chain. Hedges explained the importance of raising awareness about the opportunity to easily grow an additional crop between corn and soybean seasons, creating a new revenue stream for farmers while improving soil health. Panelists noted that continued innovation, adoption of new crops and closer coordination throughout the production process will be essential to scaling the SAF and other renewable fuels industry.
Hedges stressed that collaboration across the fuel production ecosystem must begin early in the development process, particularly because federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathway approvals can take years. Hedges noted that CoverCress Inc just hit a major milestone with obtaining the first RFS pathway approval for CoverCress Oil, which took 2.5 years from the time the pathway was submitted.
“The earlier coordination with refiners can begin with these new crops, the better,” Hedges said. “Establish a relationship with one or more refiners. Get your pathways going as you’re doing your product development. And that way, when the product is commercially viable, it’s probably going to be around the time that you get these RFS pathway approvals.”
Panelists also discussed the rigorous testing and quality controls required for aviation fuels, the need for supportive public policies and the importance of ensuring adequate production capacity. The conversation reinforced that SAF development is not solely an aviation initiative, but one that relies on coordination among agriculture, energy, transportation and economic development stakeholders.
Looking ahead, Tomei encouraged greater collaboration among the many organizations already advancing SAF initiatives throughout Illinois. “Illinois really is a leader,” Tomei said. “There are so many good things happening in different pockets on an individual basis with SAF that, if we brought it together, we’d be an even stronger powerhouse.”
For farmers and agricultural organizations, the growth of SAF represents an opportunity to help supply a developing domestic fuel market through both established commodities and new crops, supporting farm revenue, sustainability goals and domestic energy security. “Right now, we’re all kind of in that early ramp up stage, but we are planning to have hundreds of thousands of acres of these new innovative crops by the early 2030s,” Hedges said.
The second annual Global Aerospace Summit brought together aerospace manufacturers, suppliers and leaders in military, cargo movement, transportation, economic development and other sectors for a two-day program focused on advancing innovation and strengthening the industry’s future. The event was presented by the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, Madison County and St. Clair County, Illinois, and Bi-State Development’s St. Louis Regional Freightway.
