News

Could a federal E15 solution become a reality this year?

There’s optimism among some ethanol supporters that a permanent fix for year-round E15 could become a reality this year.

“I think we’re as close as we’ve ever been to getting this across the finish line,” said farmer Kelly Nieuwenhuis from northwest Iowa.

Nieuwenhuis is a past president of both the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Siouxland Energy Cooperative. He tells Brownfield the Trump administration has shown support for a federal solution.

“The president signed an executive order to get year-round E15 done,” he said. “We were so close back in December. It was on the Continuing Resolution bill until the last second and then it was pulled. We were reassured it would get done in the spring of 2025.”

An E15 solution also wasn’t included in the recently passed Continuing Resolution. During last month’s National Ethanol Conference, Renewable Fuels Association’s Troy Bredenkamp told Brownfield alternative options included the budget reconciliation bill, the farm bill, or another December spending package.

Nieuwenhuis says corn growers are anxiously waiting for a milestone development.

“For every one percent increase in demand through corn grind through ethanol is 450 million bushels of corn. That’s a big deal.”

He says consumers have been requesting an increase in domestic use for ethanol.