US Senate Farm Bill Includes Year-Round E15 Approval

The US Senate's farm bill includes year-round approval of E15, a gasoline blend containing 15% ethanol, which has been a long-standing goal for the ethanol industry. This move is seen as a boost to agriculture and rural communities across South Dakota and the country.

South Dakota's congressional delegation, including Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, are hopeful that year-round E15 will clear Congress this year. They argue that it would strengthen the farm economy and make the country more energy independent.

However, opponents point to research showing emissions from higher blends could worsen summer smog while encouraging the conversion of grasslands for corn farming. Some lawmakers from oil-producing and refining states also oppose the expansion.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, said that year-round E15 sales have been a priority for him and his constituents. 'I would rather wake up every morning worried about the price of corn in a South Dakota field than worried about the price of oil in an Iranian oil field,' he stated.