Policymakers, industry leaders and campaigners came together at a recent European Parliament discussion in Brussels to explore whether intermediate crops – those grown between harvests – can help meet ambitious energy security and decarbonization goals without putting pressure on food production.
Aviation fuel consumption is expected to double over the next 25 years. Under EU mandates, fuel supplied at European airports must contain at least 6% SAF by 2030, rising to 70% by 2050. By 2035, Europe will need around 7 million tons of SAF, requiring more than 9 million tons of oil feedstock.
Speakers agreed that Europe cannot meet this demand without expanding its domestic supply of sustainable biomass and that intermediate crops could be a credible part of the solution. Because intermediate crops are grown between main harvests on existing farmland, they do not displace food production and do not require additional land. Instead, they can improve soil health, reduce erosion and provide farmers with an additional revenue stream.
MEP Stefan Köhler (EPP, Germany), host of the event, described intermediate crops as sitting “at the intersection of agriculture, energy and climate responsibility”. He said the concept offers a practical way to cut emissions while keeping Europe’s rural economy competitive, provided it is treated as a real part of the transition and not as an afterthought. For Köhler, the central test is credibility: if crops planted between two main harvests are used for fuel “they become part of a circular system that can support our climate goals while also enhancing soil health”.
Carlo Hamelinck, partner at the studio Gear Up advisory firm, set out why definitions matter, warning that “inconsistent rules across Member States risk slowing investment” and excluding farmers experimenting with cover crops and short-cycle rotations. He argued that policy should reward outcomes such as “verified emission savings and sound agronomy” instead of forcing one rigid model on different farming regions.
Crops are sitting at the intersection of agriculture, energy and climate responsibility - MEP Stefan Köhler
Oilseeds such as canola, juncea and sunflower have high oil content and are already widely grown in Europe. They can also be adapted for short growing cycles, making them suitable as intermediate crops. And Frank Röber, Europe Breeding Alliances Lead at Corteva Agriscience, described the use of sunflower as an “example of how short-cycle varieties can fit between cash crops” and still deliver usable biomass, while supporting soil cover and resilience. However, he stressed that farmers will only adopt new rotations at scale if the economics are clear and “if the rules do not change mid-season".
Ignacio Conti is Chief Executive Officer of Etlas, a Corteva–bp joint venture delivering reliable, scalable agricultural feedstocks for SAF and renewable diesel. He explained how agronomy choices are linked to the market pull coming from aviation and heavy-duty transport. “The goal is to connect agriculture with the future of energy,” he said, arguing that intermediate crops can “widen the pool of European feedstocks” at a time when demand for certified low-carbon fuels is rising. Conti said Etlas is designed to provide practical traceability and certification so fuel producers, airlines and regulators can trust what is being claimed.
Pushed by the audience on what the intermediate crop model means for farmers working with tight growing seasons and rising input costs, and how regulation can stay simple enough to be workable, Hamelinck said that “innovation will have to do two jobs at once: deliver climate benefits and help farmers manage risk”, including through better seed choices and clearer guidance. For Conti, the fastest way to unlock investment is regulatory certainty. “If policy is there and guidelines are clear, the industry is ready to invest,” he said.
Across the discussion, the message was consistent: intermediate crops can be a credible part of Europe’s clean-fuel pathway if the EU settles definitions, aligns certification, and keeps the approach realistic for farmers. With sustainable aviation fuel targets moving from ambition to enforcement, speakers agreed that decisions taken now will determine whether Europe builds a homegrown supply chain or leaves the opportunity elsewhere.
Europe’s aviation fuel mandates need credible volumes. Ignacio Conti, CEO of Etlas, a Corteva–bp joint venture, explains why clear EU rules are needed to ensure certified intermediate crops, including short-cycle sunflowers, can add sustainable oil without competing with food.
Why are agricultural biofuels important for meeting Europe’s sustainable aviation fuel targets?
Ignacio Conti: The demand for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel, driven by European Union mandates, is going to require an important portfolio of solutions. Aviation needs large volumes of cleaner fuel, and agriculture can contribute to feedstocks that help meet those targets. The point is not to rely on one pathway, but to make sure the system has enough credible options to deliver what the mandates require.
The goal is to connect agriculture with the future of energy - Ignacio Conti
What role does Etlas play in helping scale sustainable aviation fuel?
IC: Etlas exists to help connect what happens on farms with what fuel markets and regulators require. When you talk about scaling sustainable aviation fuel, you quickly reach the question of how to demonstrate that a feedstock meets the right sustainability conditions. Etlas is designed to support that process so that farmers and supply-chain actors can show, in a practical way, that crops have been produced in line with the rules needed to qualify.
How can agriculture support sustainable aviation fuel production without competing with food?
IC: There is room for both, and there is no need for those two goals to compete. Specifically, intermediate crops are crops that go in the middle of main crops that are destined for food or feed. Farmers can include these crops in their rotation and add another crop into that rotation that does not compete with the main crops. That additional crop becomes a source of oil that can go to sustainable aviation fuel or renewable diesel.
Why are oilseed crops like sunflowers particularly interesting for Europe?
IC: We are a 50/50 joint venture between Corteva and bp. As a seed innovator, Corteva has developed very short-cycle sunflowers that can be grown as intermediate crops in rotations for farmers in many parts of Europe, starting with Italy, Romania and France. Because they fit after a winter crop, this also avoids the “food versus fuel” concern: the main crop remains dedicated to food or feed, while these short-cycle sunflowers can be grown for oil for biofuels.
What policy changes could help Europe unlock this potential?
IC: We need a very clear policy on intermediate crops and how they are defined. Some early drafts look too restrictive. We are looking for a more comprehensive, crop-agnostic approach, because conditions vary widely across Europe, and farmers need the flexibility to adopt different intermediate crops. Policy also needs to provide clear guidance on certification, and make that process straightforward, so farmers can certify how the crop was produced and ensure it can qualify for SAF.
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