DES MOINES, IOWA (RFD NEWS) — President Donald Trump’s renewed support for nationwide, year-round E15 sales reinforced optimism about ethanol demand, even as Congress delayed legislative action last week by excluding an E15 amendment from an appropriations bill. The split highlights strong executive backing alongside unresolved procedural and political hurdles on Capitol Hill.
“I promised to support E15 all year-round,” Trump told the crowd in Des Moines on Tuesday. “I am trusting Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune to find a deal that works—we’ve got it—for farmers, consumers, and refiners…to get E15 approved. And they are working on it, and they are very close to getting it done. And [they’ll] be sending me a bill very shortly supporting year-round E15, to my desk very quickly, and I will sign it without delay.”
Trump told the crowd he instructed congressional leaders to get it done.
“I am trusting Speaker Mike Johnson, who’s great, and John Thune, who’s great, that’s the House and Senate, to find a deal that works,” Trump said. “We’ve got it for farmers, consumers, and refiners, including small and mid-sized refiners. In other words, to get e-15 approved, they’re working on it. They’re very close to getting it done. So, I just want to let you know that. I will sign it without delay. Okay.”
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Administration views year-round E15 as a direct boost to domestic corn use, estimating potential annual demand growth of up to 2 billion bushels. The announcement follows recent export gains for U.S. ethanol and expanded market access through trade agreements in Asia and Europe, which together strengthen the long-term demand outlook for corn and soybeans.
“Yet again, President Trump is honoring his commitment to America’s farmers and energy producers today in Iowa by announcing his support for the nationwide year-round sale of E-15,” Sec. Rollins said in a press release. “As Congress continues to work through the details, the President has been clear - get a bill that allows nationwide E-15 to his desk, and he will sign it to unleash American homegrown row crops for biofuel use like never before. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America. This action will allow up to 2 billion more bushels of corn to be consumed domestically.”
Despite that momentum, the House Rules Committee opted not to attach an E15 provision to a must-pass funding bill, citing concerns over bypassing regular committee order and the need to balance farm-state priorities with refining interests. Lawmakers instead signaled continued negotiations through a dedicated House-led task force expected to continue into February.
The divergence leaves ethanol markets supported by policy signals, but dependent on congressional follow-through to deliver regulatory certainty.
In response to the President’s remarks, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper stated, “President Trump has always been a strong supporter of E15 because he knows just how important it is to farmers and to consumers looking for lower prices at the pump. He understands that the quickest and surest way to boost the farm economy is to open a vast new market opportunity for grain-based ethanol. We are grateful to President Trump for again voicing his support and calling on Congress to get year-round E15 legislation passed and to his desk immediately.”
RFD NEWS recently spoke with the president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), Jed Bower, who painted a very bleak picture for farmers. His frustration was clear, but Bower told us that he is confident the task force will be stacked with folks looking out for growers, noting many are nearing a breaking point.
“To be honest to all growers across the country, many farmers are down,” Bower said. “We can’t give much more. We’ve been giving for years. We thought we had a true bipartisan agreement, and we thought we had something not only growers could live with, but also the oil industry. So, we’re going to be weighing in on behalf of growers and providing our champions in Congress with all the information that they may need as they dive into this and work to hopefully come forth with the deal finally.”
That E15 committee is expected to present a potential bill to Congress by February 15 with votes expected later in the month.
You heard President Trump task House Speaker Mike Johnson with securing year-round E15 sales for farmers. He will have his work cut out for him in the weeks ahead on that front, but now, Johnson is against the clock to deliver a federal spending plan by Friday. Speaking with reporters recently, Johnson said farmers need as much support as they can get.
“If you have small family farms and ranches that go out of business so they can’t make it one more year, and they can’t get a loan to do it, they’re gone,” Johnson explains. “The kids move to the cities, and there is no more family farm. You might have noticed that very few people start family farms. These are third-, fourth-, and sometimes fifth-generation operations. You have to have them. You have to have diversification in the food supply. You have to have producers. We cannot rely on other countries for our food supply.”
Congress has until midnight Friday to deliver a spending plan, or a government shutdown will be activated. The USDA has not released any plans if that happens.
While several efforts to include E15 provisions in the upcoming spending package have fallen short, the administration has indicated that a task force will submit formal recommendations on E15 sales next month.
Shaun Haney, host of RealAg Radio, joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report to provide a deeper look at the president’s comments and what they could mean for agriculture.
In his interview with RFD NEWS, Haney said Trump’s decision to deliver the message in person—rather than via social media—signaled the issue’s importance to rural voters and the ag sector. He also weighed in on the President’s move to involve House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator John Thune in advancing the effort, discussing whether year-round E15 sales are likely to become a reality.
“It’s encouraging that the President put on the record in Iowa that he would sign the paper as soon as it crosses his desk,” Haney says. “But we’ve been at this point for quite a while, and we’re restudying the issue? What possibly could we have more to study in this committee?”
Haney also outlined potential hurdles in the short term, noting ongoing concerns from small refiners regarding compliance costs and regulatory impacts. As discussions continue in Washington, Haney emphasized that while momentum appears to be building, questions remain about timing and whether congressional action will align with expectations from farm country.
Haney pointed out that a key takeaway from the President’s remarks today in Iowa is “if.” There’s a lot hinging on the what if.
President Trump made clear he has charged Johnson and Thune in Congress to press forward on the work needed to get that bill on his desk for signature. However, Haney points out that the question is whether they can make that happen and, from an industry perspective, what remains to be accomplished on a well-studied issue with extremely strong bipartisan support.
Stay with us for updates on this developing story. RFD NEWS will continue to monitor ag action from Capitol Hill in the Market Day Report and our online platforms.
