Deal is in the Works for Year-Round E-15, President Trump Says
- Dave Price
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Soybean farmers and the various people connected to their industry are asking themselves, “Could it finally be true?” They want to know if a deal really is close in Congress to finally extend E-15 – the 15% ethanol fuel blend – for year-round sales across the United States.
They have been hoping that a campaign pledge would turn into action when Donald Trump returned to the White House. President Trump gave them hope this week when he addressed several hundred supporters in a campaign-style event in Clive, a Des Moines, Iowa suburb.
“A lot of people are asking me about ethanol…I don’t know…,” Trump said as he looked out at the crowd, “Do you want me to do something with ethanol?”
He knew the response before he asked the question. Iowans, regardless of whether they are connected to agriculture, understand how important corn is to their state’s economy.
Farmers Look for Higher Corn Demand
Farmers don’t want corn selling at $4.20 or $4.30 per bushel. They want those numbers to climb with the potential of increased demand that year-round E-15 sales could bring.
“A 1% increase in the average ethanol blend rate would add 1.36 billion gallons of ethanol, equal to about 486 million bushels of corn. A 5% increase, to move from E10 to E15, would translate to 6.8 billion gallons of ethanol, or roughly 2.4 billion bushels of corn a year.”
Current ethanol demand requires about 5.6 billion bushels of corn. That means the NCGA projections would represent a 43% increase in demand for corn with the expansion of E-15 nationally.
Trade Deals Impacting Corn
Trump continued his sales pitch to followers. “After years of the United States getting ripped off by other countries on trade, I’m standing up for the workers and the farmers of our country like no other president has ever…no other president has done this. I mean, no other president,” he contended.
RELATED: Trump’s Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden told American Farmland Owner how he feels that the USDA will better serve farmers and ranchers after it shifts much of the agency’s operations into five regional hubs.
Trump acknowledged that he pledged in 2024 to deliver year-round E-15 fuel sales if he got elected. Iowans responded to his promises and gave him a 13-point victory in the general election. That was the largest margin for a presidential candidate – from any political party – in Iowa since 1972.
Trump Previously Promised Year-Round E-15 Sales
Fulfilling that promise brings greater urgency now that he has been back in the White House for more than a year and has Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress. Despite his assurances that he loves farmers, they don’t make up for the economic reality that shows incomes are expected to fall again in 2026.
A University of Missouri report showed the Iowa farmers face a possible 24% income drop this year.
Farmers need new markets…domestic, foreign, or preferably a healthy combination of both.
Trump told the crowd that he was going to post on social media last week about his support for year-round E-15 sales, but he said that he wanted to wait to tell Iowans in person. “I said, hold it…I’m coming to Iowa to make a speech.”
He continued, “I want to tell them in person, the people of Iowa…I’m trusting (U.S. House) Speaker Mike Johnson, who is great, and (U.S. Senate Majority) Leader John Thune…that’s great…that’s house and senate…to find a deal for works for me…consumers, refiners, including small and midsize refiners.”
Trump finished his remarks by adding, “In other words, to get E-15 approved. And they are working hard and are very close to getting it done. So, I just want to let you know that,” he said.
If the Republican-led Congress reaches a deal, it can count on his support, the president said. “I will sign it without delay, OK?”
