Senate Farm Bill Includes Year-Round Approval for Higher Ethanol Blend

The US Senate's farm bill has been revised to include year-round approval of E15, a gasoline blend that contains 15% ethanol. This move is expected to boost the farm economy and make the country more energy independent.

Opponents argue that higher blends could worsen summer smog while encouraging the conversion of grasslands for corn farming.

The House had previously pulled year-round E15 from its version of the farm bill, but it is now awaiting a hearing in another Senate committee. The ethanol industry has been pushing for this change, with some lawmakers speaking out in support.