Jan. 3—WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate passed a continuing resolution on Dec. 21 that extends current government funding levels for three months. Additionally, the 2018 Farm Bill has been extended for another year. This resolution will help prevent a government shutdown and will provide nearly $10 billion to farmers affected by disasters in 2023.
The year-round selling of E15 gasoline was pulled from the resolution, though, continuing an uphill climb for advocates across the state.
Farmers are excited about the potential increase in ethanol in the fuel blend. Currently 10 percent ethanol is allowed in the nation’s fuel blend.
“If that increases 1 percent to 11 percent because more people will have more access to higher blends of ethanol than 10 percent, if it just nicks up 1 percent, that’s going to create corn demand in the tune of 470 million bushels,” said Tadd Nicholson, executive director of Ohio Corn & Wheat. “It’s like 85 percent of Ohio’s crop will increase in demand.”
Why wasn’t a Farm Bill passed?
Amid an election year, writing and proposing a new bill would likely present many obstacles during the transition to a new presidency.
“Everything is about the election,” Nicholson said. “All of the oxygen is taken up on figuring out who our new president is going to be, so it’s a very difficult year to write a big bill like a Farm Bill, so it was really supposed to be done in ’23. It didn’t get done. We had a one-year extension that took us into ’24, and that was the year we were hoping they could manage to do a presidential election and a Farm Bill in one year, but that just wasn’t the case.
“We knew all year long, we did not get that done, so the best we could hope for is a one-year extension in the lame-duck period, and that’s what we got. So we’re happy about that, but we’re also really kind of calling on Congress to really get down to working and get a five-year Farm Bill written in the next year.”
No on year-round E15
The year-round sale of E15, also known as unleaded 88 gasoline, is limited. This fuel consists of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol and is only available for selling during the summer stretch from June 1 through Sept. 15 with a waiver.
“It was incredibly disappointing for us as farmers, but also as Ohio consumers, we would’ve been able to have greater access to E15, saving all of us money,” Nicholson said.
Nicholson said many will be calling on Congress to make the change within the next year.
“Get this thing fixed as quickly as possible,” he said.
Nicholson said waivers were approved for the sale of E15 during the summer of 2023 and 2024, however, “it’s not sustainable.”
Why did E15 get pulled?
Nicholson said he was never informed as to why it was pulled from the continuing resolution.
“The reasons it was pulled out are unknown to us,” he said. “It’s bipartisan support for this, so it can be that whole issue. It’s got support from the petroleum industry. There’s really no good reason why it doesn’t get passed.”
Nicholson is one of many advocating for Congress to take the common-sense approach on expanding E15.
“You would think this would be a really easy thing (to pass),” he said. “With all of the support and the fact that to fix this, it doesn’t cost taxpayers anything. All it is is changing an old, outdated law that needs to get fixed, and if they can do that at a zero-dollar cost, you would think this would be a really easy thing to get done.”
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