The rules around E15 continue to be more complicated than seems necessary. Some Midwestern states are permitted to sell the 15% ethanol blended fuel year-round thanks to special waivers, while others pull E15 from pumps during the summer. Farm state leaders and industry stakeholders that have long sought to allow year-round E15 nationwide are once again calling on Congress to act on the issue.
As some may recall, Congress came close to passing legislation that would have allowed for year-round E15 in late-2024 but the measure ultimately failed. In February of this year, a bipartisan group of Senators reintroduced the same legislation under the “Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025.”
The American Petroleum Institute, an oil trade group that has at times been at odds with the biofuel industry, has thrown its support behind the legislation. “Year-round, nationwide E15 sales will prevent a confusing patchwork of state regulations and give consumers reliable access to the fuels they use every day,” said Will Hupman, API’s vice president of downstream policy.
According to the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), standardizing year-round E15, sometimes labeled “Unleaded 88,” will result in an increase in corn demand of about +2.3 billion bushels per year. In a letter sent to Congress by NCGA and signed by over 9,000 U.S. corn growers, the group explains that about one-third of corn produced in the U.S. is used for ethanol production. As such, the demand creation from E15 will result in an impressive improvement in profitability for operations across the nation – and rural communities will reap the benefits. NCGA also points out that drivers who steadily use E15 as their primary fuel source save an average of 25 cents per gallon.
NCGA notes that this economic relief and energy security is felt the greatest in rural America. “Farms across the nation are struggling. Not only is 2025 shaping up to be the third consecutive year of losses for corn growers, but the forecast on returns drops even further, to the lowest level since 2000,” NCGA says in the letter. “Corn growers need a market-centric solution to overcome this bleak economic outlook, and year-round E15 sales would provide an opportunity to curb the weakening farm economy.”
In addition to the NCGA letter, Attorneys general from 16 states have penned a letter to members of Congress, urging them to support legislation that would allow the year-round sale of an ethanol-blended fuel. Addressed to U.S. House leaders Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries and Senate leaders John Thune and Chuck Schumer, the letter also pointed to executive orders declaring a national energy emergency and establishing a national energy dominance council as a reminder of the executive branch’s support for the issue.
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association also pushed for the legislation at its annual conference in February, with attendees signing a letter addressed to Thune and Johnson. IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw said the AGs’ letter shows the “widespread support” of the higher ethanol blend across the country. Attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia signed on the letter.
It’s worth noting that there’s been some concern among soybean growers that year-round E15 could hurt demand for biodiesel. Experts say the concerns are overblown because the two fuels are not directly interchangeable and have completely distinct markets with different uses. Biodiesel, as the name implies, serves the diesel market while ethanol is used in gasoline. The two unique fuel types also have separate volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
The latest data from the Energy Information Administration show U.S. ethanol production hit a record 16.22 billion gallons (bg) in 2024, spurred by rising domestic consumption and record exports of 1.92 bg, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Domestic usage increased to 14.26 bg, the highest level since 2019, reflecting the continued expansion in the number of retail stations offering E15, together with waivers by the Environmental Protection Agency allowing E15 to be sold year-round, says RFA.
