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Mann optimistic E15 deal can be reached, says farmers would benefit

A member of the House Ag Committee says increasing access to higher blends of ethanol could help improve the bottom line for farmers.

Tracey Mann, a Republican from Kansas, says passing year-round, nationwide E15 would be a great start. “Let’s let the market work to sort out how much demand there really is in the country for E15. This would be really helpful for our farmers. It wouldn’t cost the government a dime and would reduce regulation.”

Mann sits on the newly created Rural Domestic Energy Council. He tells Brownfield he’s cautiously optimistic a deal can be struck by the end of the moth. “We’ve got to get everyone on board. The biofuels industry, large refiners and small refiners as well to come to an agreement.”

The council was created to develop legislative solutions to address the crisis facing ag producers.

He tells Brownfield all three groups need to find consensus on a path forward. “Without that, there aren’t the votes to pass it. Every indication this is going to be a party-line vote and because of that to pass the Republican-controlled House, if you lose more than two Republican members, then it won’t pass so that means everyone has to be in agreement.”

The council has until February 15 to develop bills, and the House is expected to consider them no later than February 25.