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Nebraska commodity groups continue optimism for year-round E15 passage this year

A pair of state commodity groups continue to push for nationwide, year-round E-15.

Mike Bergen is a farmer director with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and says he’s optimistic that the effort won’t stall in Congress like it did last year. “(I) have pretty good confidence that we have a vehicle to give it passage before the end of the year through Congress.”

Executive Director of Renewable Fuels Nebraska Dawn Caldwell tells Brownfield, “Something with Department of Energy might be something. If there’s a skinny farm bill we’re looking for every pathway possible to make sure it happens before December 31st of this year.”

Caldwell says another way to boost demand for U.S. corn is to allow E15 to be sold at pumps currently used for E10. “If Congress and our EPA could grant that and it is legal and OK to do, we could move much more quickly, and we do have legislation in fact introduced for that. We would also like to see that cohesively with year-round E15 itself granting that equipment to be used as well.”

Congress returns this week from August recess, and Caldwell says she’s unsure when lawmakers will take up the legislation.