Farm Bill with E15 Reported Out of Senate Ag Committee

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Senate Agriculture Committee met Wednesday for the first time in over a month to re-vote on the Agriculture Act of 2026 – the farm bill, including E15 – and pass it along party lines by a vote of 12 to 11. Republicans prevailed on the vote this time with the presence of both Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Tom Tuberville (R-AL) who were absent during the last meeting. The action was applauded by all major farm and biofuel organizations.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper called it an important step toward finally securing nationwide, year-round E15. “As expressed throughout the farm bill process, there is broad bipartisan support for making lower-cost E15 available to consumers all year long—especially at a time when pump prices are on the rise and fuel supplies are tightening. Now, we urge the full Senate to pass year-round E15 legislation as quickly as possible, reconcile the language with the House, and get a viable solution to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”

It is clear that the path forward with the farm bill on the Senate floor will hinge on SNAP and the Democrats demand for a a two-year delay of the SNAP cost share, but Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) stressed the need for getting the bill passed. “This bill has many other bipartisan provisions, including the year-round E15 that we’re really we’ve been working on – and I’m looking at Senator Ernst, Senator Fisher, Senator Grassley, Senator Thune, Senator Moran – for so long, and a stronger farm and ranch stress assistant network. All of this shows that there’s a lot we agree on this bill and that we really can’t afford to not get this done by the end of the year,” said Klobuchar.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) agreed. “Our farmers need certainty. And one of the things that’s included in here is E15, which is something I think a lot of us have fought long and hard for, and which is really important to a lot of producers across this country, and I would argue to help lower gas prices.”

Excerpt from Renewable Fuels Association: The Renewable Fuels Association thanked members of the Senate Agriculture Committee for today passing the Agricultural Act of 2026, which includes a provision to allow the lower-cost E15 fuel blend to be sold year-round. The bill now moves to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body. The House in May passed year-round E15 legislation with a bipartisan 218–203 vote.

"Today’s passage of the farm bill by the Senate Agriculture Committee represents an important step toward finally securing nationwide, year-round E15," said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. "We thank Sen. Boozman and the members of the committee for ensuring the E15 provisions were included. As expressed throughout the farm bill process, there is broad bipartisan support for making lower-cost E15 available to consumers all year long—especially at a time when pump prices are on the rise and fuel supplies are tightening. Now, we urge the full Senate to pass year-round E15 legislation as quickly as possible, reconcile the language with the House, and get a viable solution to President Trump’s desk for his signature."

A recent report published by the Department of Energy found that E15 has been selling for 47 cents per gallon less than standard E10 gasoline on average, for an 11.5 percent discount. Those savings, Cooper said, explain why voters strongly support year-round E15. Three-quarters of registered voters support expanding the availability of the lower-cost E15 fuel blend and more than seven in ten back federal legislation allowing its sale year-round, according to a June survey conducted by Morning Consult for RFA.

Year-round E15 also has strong support from President Trump. In a supplemental funding request to Congress in June, the Trump administration requested “…a fix that codifies the permanent, year-round sale of E15, an urgent and needed policy change that would expand consumer choice, support domestic fuel production, and provide additional flexibility in fuel markets.” Earlier, at a January event in Iowa, he noted his promise to support E15 “all year-round” and said he was relying on Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune to find a deal that works. He said he would sign a year-round E15 bill “without delay.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Ethanol Producer Magazine: The vote to approve Farm Bill 2.0 follows a failed attempt by the committee to advance the bill in early August when efforts were stalled by partisan divisions over food assistance provisions. Rather than adjuring the committee after that failed vote, Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., recessed the committee, a decision that allowed him to call committee members back to revisit the bill at a later date.

With Senate Ag Committee approval, the Farm Bill 2.0 can now be considered by the full Senate. No date has yet been set for a Senate vote on the legislative package. The current Farm Bill is set to expire at the end of September.

One provision of the Senate Farm Bill would enable year-round sales of E15 and implement reform to the Renewable Fuel Standard’s small refinery exemption (SRE) program.

In addition to E15 and SRE reform, the Senate Farm Bill’s energy title includes numerous provisions to support the U.S. biofuel industry, including major updates to the USDA’s Section 9003 loan guarantee program, language supporting the SAF industry, and the reauthorization of numerous bioenergy programs, including the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Biodiesel Fuel Education Program, Feedstock Flexibility Program for Bioenergy Producers, the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, and the Carbon Utilization and Biogas Education Program.

Growth Energy also praised Senate progress on E15. "Consumers deserve lower-cost fuel options and farmers deserve reliable markets,” said Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “Year-round E15 delivers on both fronts, and we’re grateful to our bipartisan Senate champions for making E15 an urgent priority.

“Now is the time for Congress to prioritize U.S. drivers over those who simply oppose lower-cost options at the pump. We look forward to working with leaders in both the House and Senate to finally put commonsense, bipartisan legislation on the President’s desk.” READ MORE