WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The push for permanent, year-round E15 access is gaining momentum as the Farm Bill moves toward a full Senate vote.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report to discuss how expanding E15 access could create a larger domestic market for U.S. corn while giving consumers another fuel option.
In her interview with RFD News, Skor said Growth Energy has spent more than a year working with corn growers to make the case for permanent E15 access.
“We’re talking about building U.S. markets for U.S. commodities, and we have to constantly remind ourselves of the importance of that given the state of the farm economy,” Skor said.
She said corn growers are looking for additional markets rather than direct assistance.
“Our corn growers, they don’t want handouts; they want markets,” Skor said. “Ethanol is an opportunity to build a U.S. marketplace that has stability and permanence.”
Potential Corn Demand
Skor said permanent E15 could create significant additional demand for U.S. corn.
She pointed to a potential additional 2.4 billion bushels of corn grind if the entire U.S. gasoline market moved to a 15% ethanol blend.
“You can see that is a market-changing, game-changing shift in terms of our ability to consume U.S. corn here in the U.S. marketplace,” Skor said.
She also argued that expanded E15 use could benefit both farmers and consumers.
E15 Faces Senate Vote
The E15 provision still faces the Senate before it could become law.
Skor said time is one of the biggest challenges, with a limited number of Senate working days left this year and other legislative priorities competing for attention.
She said the measure has passed the House and pointed to support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman.
Skor said she believes the measure has bipartisan support and could move either as a standalone bill or as part of a year-end legislative package.
Biofuels Summit Highlights
Skor said year-round E15 was a major topic at Growth Energy’s annual Biofuels Summit, where she described the atmosphere as enthusiastic but urgent.
She also pointed to progress on renewable fuel blending requirements, the clean fuel production tax credit and efforts to expand ethanol exports.
“We’ve had a lot of good policy outcomes, strong Renewable Fuel Volume Obligation blending requirements,” Skor said. “Good progress on our clean fuel production tax credit and making that eligible and bringing farmers into the fold as well. Strong momentum on E15.”
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins also spoke at the summit and discussed the department’s ethanol trade outlook, Skor said.
Industry Pressures
Skor said high farm input costs and lower corn prices remain major economic pressures for producers and the biofuels industry.
She said the industry is focused on policies that can create additional demand for corn, including year-round E15, renewable fuel policies, on-farm innovation, and expanded ethanol exports.
“We want to be that market solution for our grower partners,” Skor said.
She said increasing ethanol exports also provides another way to move U.S. corn into global markets as ethanol.
