During a speech in Clive, Iowa, President Donald Trump threw his weight behind efforts to pass year-round E15 legislation in Congress. The President said a deal between the House and Senate is close and that he would sign the E15 legislation “without delay” once it reaches his desk.
“I think year-round E15 would be President Trump’s singular achievement for farmers if he can push Congress to act,” said Monte Shaw, Executive Director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA). “There are lots of other important issues like tax credits, renewable fuel standard blending levels, and trade, and I don’t want to minimize those. But they are ongoing issues. Year-round E15 represents the one shining light at the end of a very dark tunnel for farmers. Pushing that through would make President Trump the godfather of E15 and I believe farmers would be talking about his feat for years to come.”
Trump told the enthusiastic crowd: “In the campaign I promised to support E15 all year round…I want to be there in person to tell the people of Iowa that I am trusting Speaker Mike Johnson, who is great, and Leader John Thune, who is great, that’s House and Senate, to find a deal that works…in other words to get E15 approved. And they’re working on it. They’re very close to getting it done…And [Congress] will be sending me a bill very shortly supporting year-round E15, to my desk very quickly, and I will sign it without delay.”
Farm and ethanol supporters have worked over ten years to remove the outdated and unjustified regulatory barrier to year-round E15 sales only to be stymied at every turn. Widespread adoption of E15 would create demand for more than two billion bushels of corn and could stabilize profitable corn prices during a time of expanding production. A recent study highlighted the importance of E15 to the future of the rural economy.
