# Biofuels' hunger for used cooking oil faces trade challenges | World Grain

> US imports of used cooking oil (UCO) for biofuel feedstock have surged, reaching more than 3 billion pounds in 2023 and nearly doubling in the first nine months of 2024. Over half of UCO imports come from China, and the incoming Trump administration has signaled it may restrict them.

- Date: 2024-11-28 · published 2024-11-28T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/27477-biofuels-hunger-for-used-cooking-oil-faces-trade-challenges-world-grain
- Commodities: [Soybean Oil](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBO.md)

## Why it matters

A possible tariff or restriction on UCO imports would shift biofuel feedstock demand toward domestic soybean oil, supporting soyoil prices. Uncertainty over the policy is a key swing factor for the feedstock mix.

## Read by commodity

- SBO: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SBO | 2026-05-27 | [Biofuels give boost to soybean oil futures rally \| World Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19353-biofuels-give-boost-to-soybean-oil-futures-rally-world-grain.md) | +2.2% | -3.6% |
| SBO | 2026-04-03 | [US biofuel mandates climb amid war, farm income concerns \| World Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19805-us-biofuel-mandates-climb-amid-war-farm-income-concerns-world-grain.md) | +0.3% | +6.0% |
| SBO | 2025-12-10 | [Study: EPA biofuels proposal aids US soybean farmers \| World Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15064-study-epa-biofuels-proposal-aids-us-soybean-farmers-world-grain.md) | -3.8% | -3.7% |
| SBO | 2026-10-27 | [Growing US biofuel production intensifies competition for soybean oil](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17179-growing-us-biofuel-production-intensifies-competition-for-soybean-oil.md) | -0.5% | — |
| SBO | 2017-03-01 | [U.S. grains: Corn, soyoil climb on biofuels news - Grainews](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7821-u-s-grains-corn-soyoil-climb-on-biofuels-news-grainews.md) | -0.7% | -3.6% |

## Sources

- world-grain.com: https://www.world-grain.com/articles/20761-biofuels-hunger-for-used-cooking-oil-faces-trade-challenges

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.