NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD NEWS) — Efforts to authorize year-round E15 gasoline sales stalled this week after the House Rules Committee opted not to include the provision in must-pass funding legislation, citing procedural and policy risks rather than opposition to ethanol itself. The decision delays a long-sought market expansion for biofuels while keeping the issue active for further review.
Farm-state lawmakers supporting E15 argued the change would provide certainty for ethanol markets and expand domestic fuel demand. Others on the committee cautioned that the amendment did not move through regular order, meaning it bypassed the standard committee process. That raised concerns about attaching a major policy change to an underlying spending bill without full vetting, a step some lawmakers warned could jeopardize broader passage.
Opposition also reflected competing regional interests. While many producers favor expanded ethanol blending, some members emphasized the need to consider impacts on small and independent refiners alongside farm interests. Those concerns were central to resistance from lawmakers representing energy-producing states with refining capacity.
Instead of advancing the amendment, House leadership moved to establish the E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council, a temporary panel charged with developing legislative recommendations on year-round E15, refining capacity, and related Renewable Fuel Standard issues. The council is expected to deliver proposals by mid-February, with House leaders targeting late February for potential legislative consideration.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Year-round E15 remains on the table, but procedural caution and competing regional interests pushed action into a slower, negotiated path.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
The EPA proposal laid out two options: fully reallocate all exempted volumes to the 2026–2027 standards, or reallocate half.
September 17, 2025 12:04 PM
·
The Fertilizer Research Act, reintroduced by Sens. Grassley, Ernst, and Baldwin, would direct the USDA to study and publish public reports on competition and pricing trends in the fertilizer market.
September 16, 2025 05:08 PM
·
Allowing year-round sales of E15 nationally could deliver billions in economic gains, according to a new study from the Renewable Fuels Association and National Corn Growers Association.
September 16, 2025 02:29 PM
·
U.S. aquaculture may gain competitive ground as harmful subsidies are phased out abroad, but producers should monitor shifts in import supply chains and trade enforcement closely.
September 16, 2025 01:07 PM
·
Farmers await concrete trade commitments from China. Until then, export prospects for soybeans, corn, and sorghum remain uncertain against strong South American competition.
September 16, 2025 11:04 AM
·
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today issued a new memorandum to modernize and strengthen America’s wildfire prevention and response system.
September 15, 2025 04:56 PM
·
Understanding the Big, Beautiful Bill’s complex impact on SNAP benefits – that’s the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV’s legal expert, Roger McEowen.
September 15, 2025 04:37 PM
·
Year-round sales of E-15 are another major topic on Capitol Hill, which, according to Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), is one issue up for debate this session with significant bipartisan support.
September 15, 2025 12:09 PM
·
Lawmakers have until September 30 to shore up federal spending for next year, or risk a government shutdown. The Farm Bill is also set to expire the same day.
September 15, 2025 11:57 AM
·
