Lawmakers say they are ready to tackle important issues they face, including E-15 and power transmission

EPA Secretary nominee Lee Zeldin has been making his rounds before Senate panels in recent days. He has taken questions over E-15 and if year-round sales could be a reality under his charge.

“As far as establishing certainty, hopefully, this is something that Congress is able to resolve. To the extent that you’re relying on the EPA to establish that certainty, I look forward to doing my part.”

Doug Burgum was also in the hot seat recently. The former North Dakota Governor is Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and he says he is focused on rural energy but says it is the last mile that is the problem.

“I think that this is one of the challenges of our time, and it’s one of the challenges that we need to undertake, is whether it’s a transmission line, a pipeline, whatever it happens to be trying to get built, it just takes too long in our country. If we don’t have the one thing to be able to generate that electricity, but if we don’t have the ability to transmit it to the places where it’s needed, that’s going to be a problem.”

Burgum also said the U.S. is currently in a precarious situation with energy. He calls it an energy crisis and says there needs to be a balance between demand for renewable energy and meeting actual demand.

Related Stories
Read the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s official press release published on Monday, December 8, 2025.
Lewie Pugh with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) discusses the gap in truck driver education programs and how it impacts road safety and supply chain economics.
$11 billion will go to row-crop farmers immediately, with $1 billion set aside for specialty crops.
American soybean and corn leaders, along with Canada’s AgriFood sector, testified before the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office in support of the trade pact between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
“The Expanding Access to Risk Protection (EARP) Final Rule streamlines requirements across multiple crops, responds to producer feedback, and strengthens USDA’s commitment to putting America’s farmers first,” said the USDA.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Marilyn Schlake with the UNL Department of Agricultural Economics joined us for a closer look at the evolving role of livestock sale barns.
RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey recently spoke with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas rancher, who says illegal border crossings have dramatically declined in the last year.
Auction manager and West Texas A&M University student Presley Graves joined us to discuss the growth of StockShowAuctions.com and its impact on youth in agriculture.
Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening joined us with the latest update on storm conditions and impacts across the state.
Mike Knotts with the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association joined us with the latest on storm impacts, power restoration, and safety considerations following the ice storm.
Brooks York with AgriSompo joined us with his outlook on crop insurance and risk management following the recent winter storm that tore through most of the United States, including the Midwest.