SALISBURY, Md. — In collaboration with the Maryland Soybean Board and Optimus Technologies, Perdue Farms is deploying six Volvo trucks powered by 100 percent biodiesel fuel to transport fresh chickens. American-grown soybeans, including soybeans from within Perdue’s farmer network, are powering these trucks, creating a direct link between American agriculture, renewable fuel, and food transportation.
The deployment represents the first known use of B100-fueled trucks in the U.S. livestock sector, and demonstrates how collaboration across farmers, food production, and transportation technology can explore practical, scalable sustainability solutions, Perdue Farms said in a statement.
“These trucks directly connect the work of our independent family farmers to lower-emission transportation,” Ben Hildebrand, Perdue Farms director of Environmental Sustainability, said. “It’s one example of how we’re exploring practical ways to reduce our environmental impact while continuing to deliver fresh, high-quality food. It also reflects the important role agriculture can play in helping advance practical sustainability solutions.”
According to analyses from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, B100 biodiesel can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70 percent compared to conventional diesel, while also delivering air-quality and safety benefits, including lower particulate matter emissions and a cleaner, non-toxic combustion profile.
Because biodiesel is derived from renewable resources, it directly supports energy diversification and agricultural economies.
The deployment is enabled by Optimus Technologies’ Vector System, which allows the trucks to operate on B100, and is supported through collaboration with the Maryland Soybean Board, Perdue Farms added.
“For Maryland soybean farmers, this project shows how locally grown crops can play a direct role in real-world transportation and sustainability solutions,” Eddie Boyle, Maryland Soybean Board chair, said. “It creates new demand for soybeans while supporting cleaner transportation and stronger connections between farmers and the food system.”
“This collaboration shows the important role renewable fuel technologies play in helping fleets reduce emissions today,” Colin Huwyler, Optimus Technologies CEO, said. “Deploying B100 in livestock transportation highlights how proven technology can help reduce emissions in traditionally hard-to-decarbonize sectors where reliability and uptime are critical.”
For the future, Perdue and its partners will be assessing the performance and emission outcomes of this first deployment. Insight from these trucks may inform future opportunities to add additional units and expand renewable fuel solutions across additional routes and vehicles as part of Perdue’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, Perdue noted.
