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Nationwide E-15 legislation is needed first step to expanding demand

The vice president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association says Congressional action to approve nationwide, year-round E-15 is just the first step to expanding demand for the renewable fuel.

Mark Bunselmeyer, who farms in Macon County, says it’ll take time to grow the product’s reach out of the Midwest.

“It would not drastically increase the demand because across the Midwest, we currently have summer E-15, and that will stay the same.”  He says, “We are not expanding into newer markets as we get further out of the Midwest, and if we had that opportunity, that would be potentially a driver in the demand.”

He tells Brownfield that incentives would be needed to move E-15 blends into new parts of the country.

“In the Midwest, we have been fortunate through some USDA programs to offer stations money to help people convert over to adding in E15,” he says.

Bunselmeyer says Congressional action on E-15 is a zero-cost measure that would open the door to strengthening the country’s fuel sector, as well as bring needed support to corn prices and rural economies.

AUDIO: Mark Bunselmeyer – Illinois Corn Growers Association