‘No More Iowa Nice’: Biofuels Leaders Push for Year-Round E15

February 05, 2025

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by Cami Koons (Iowa Capital Dispatch) Monte Shaw, executive director of Iowa Renewable Fuels Association urged industry leaders and farmers at the association’s summit Tuesday to pursue expanding markets and to be wary of “looking in the rearview mirror.”

Leaders in ethanol, biofuels and associated markets from across the country gathered at the Prairie Meadows Event Center in Altoona for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association annual summit, this year with a theme of “fuels of opportunity.”

Shaw, in an opening session shared his observation of a divide he sees in Iowa.

“It’s a divide between people who think everything is fine, and people who think that the foundations of our rural economy are a little bit shaky,” Shaw said, admitting he finds himself in the second camp.

Shaw pointed to figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing a $90 billion decline in net farm income forecasts from 2023 and 2024.

That’s worse than the declines, by percentage points, in the 1980s, Shaw said.

Just as biofuels delivered farmers out of the farm crisis in the 1980s, Shaw said looking ahead to new markets, like sustainable aviation fuel and increased demand for biofuels, can revive rural economies. The most immediate push is for Congress to allow the year-round sale of E15, a blend of ethanol fuel, across the country.

“Mr. Speaker, the call from Iowa cannot be more clear or more plain,” Shaw said. “It is time to fix E15 now, no more delays, no more Iowa nice, we have been patient for a decade, but quite frankly we are done waiting,” Shaw said.

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To reach the growing markets, Shaw said it might require new practices like conservation farming techniques or implementing carbon sequestration at biofuels facilities.

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E15 regulation was part of a proposed spending bill in December 2024 to keep the federal government operating, but the provision was scrapped in the final bill that passed.

More recently, one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders from the first week of his term ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to consider emergency waivers for the year-round sale of E15.

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Iowa’s U.S. senators have also reintroduced a bill, known as the Farm to Fly Act, to clarify program eligibility and definitions of sustainable aviation fuel.

Sustainable aviation fuel is one of the “fuels of opportunity” that presenters at the summit said could raise net farm income again. Biofuel producers have been waiting for official guidance on a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, 45z.

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“Biofuels brought the American economy out of the stagnation of the 1990s and they powered us through the Great Recession of the 2010s, and they could reverse the recent downtrend in the ag economy if we choose to let them,” Boshart (Chris Boshart, president of Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) said. READ MORE

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Excerpt from Politico Pro E&E Daily: “We’ll get it done,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), who’s co-sponsored legislation with Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) to make E15 available in the summer nationwide. “There’s broad, bipartisan support up and down in both the House and Senate for E15.”

Advocates may be helped, in a twist, by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent request for EPA to delay regulations that would expand E15 availability in Ohio and other Midwest states. Those regulations are due to be implemented in April. READ MORE

Excerpt from Farms.com: Lawmakers seek policy changes for nationwide E15 access

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging action to support biofuels expansion and remove long-standing regulatory barriers.

Led by Representatives Adrian Smith and Angie Craig, the letter stresses the importance of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in promoting economic growth and energy security.

The lawmakers call for eliminating outdated restrictions that prevent year-round E15 sales in all 50 states. They argue that expanding E15 availability would benefit consumers by lowering fuel prices while creating new opportunities for American farmers.

"Steady growth in U.S. biofuel production means more American fuel in the marketplace and lower prices at the pump for hardworking families," the letter states. It also highlights ethanol's $54 billion contribution to the U.S. GDP in 2023 and its role in sustaining nearly 394,000 jobs.

The biodiesel and renewable diesel industry also plays a major role, supporting 75,200 jobs and generating over $23.2 billion in economic activity.

The lawmakers urge the EPA to modernize its regulatory framework to accommodate advancements in fuel technology, carbon sequestration, and feedstock utilization. They emphasize that outdated regulations hinder innovation and limit the potential of the biofuels industry.

With rising concerns about energy security and the need for sustainable fuel alternatives, the letter stresses that immediate action is necessary.

By ensuring a strong biofuels sector, the EPA can help reduce reliance on foreign oil, boost rural economies, and support long-term industry growth.

The lawmakers urge the agency to prioritize policies that foster innovation and strengthen America’s renewable fuel market.

View the full letter in detail here. READ MORE