The Illinois Corn Growers Association is highlighting more than 40 years of advocacy for ethanol policies that have expanded renewable fuel use, strengthened corn demand and supported domestic energy production.
The organization traced its involvement in ethanol policy from efforts in the late 1980s to promote a 10% ethanol blend in gasoline, known as E-10, to its current focus on expanding year-round availability of E-15. According to the association, about 98% of gasoline sold in the United States now contains ethanol. All vehicles are compatible with E-10, while most model year 2001 and newer vehicles can also use E-15.
IL Corn said momentum for E-15 continued this year after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1346, legislation providing year-round protections for E-15 sales. The measure received support from all 17 members of the Illinois congressional delegation. The association also noted that 17 automakers have produced flexible fuel vehicles capable of operating on ethanol blends of up to 85%.
The organization also highlighted the creation of the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. First proposed by the Illinois Corn Growers Association in 1992, the center opened in 2003 with support from the 1997 farm bill and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Today, the facility conducts renewable fuel research and supports advancements in ethanol production technologies.
IL Corn also reflected on policy battles during the 1990s. In 1995, a federal appeals court struck down the Environmental Protection Agency's Renewable Oxygenate Requirement after previously issuing a stay that halted its implementation. The decision allowed refiners to increase the use of methyl tertiary-butyl ether, or MTBE, instead of ethanol. MTBE was later linked to groundwater contamination, leading Congress to eliminate the Clean Air Act's oxygenate requirement. The Renewable Fuel Standard now supports the use of 15 billion gallons of ethanol and other biofuels.
The association emphasized ethanol's growing importance to corn markets. In 1998, ethanol production consumed about 526 million bushels of corn, according to National Corn Growers Association data. This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report projects ethanol production will use about 5.6 billion bushels of corn, or roughly one-third of the U.S. corn crop.
IL Corn also pointed to ethanol's role in energy security, noting that concerns about fuel supplies remain significant amid geopolitical conflicts. The organization said higher fuel prices have reinforced the value of domestically produced renewable fuels and maintained that expanded E-15 availability could help address both fuel affordability and energy security.
The association said its leaders continue to advocate for ethanol policy and infrastructure at both the state and federal levels. Most recently, representatives traveled to Washington to discuss year-round E-15 access and broader farm economy issues with lawmakers.
Source: IL Corn, "The Evolution of Ethanol: 40 Years of Progress"