A Senate farm bill proposal includes a provision to allow year-round nationwide sales of E15, potentially creating a new path for a long-sought ethanol policy change.
The Agricultural Act of 2026, or Farm Bill 2.0, released by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., includes language addressing year-round access to gasoline blended with 15% ethanol. The broader legislation covers commodity programs, crop insurance, conservation, trade, rural development, research, energy and other agricultural programs.
For ethanol producers, the E15 provision is particularly significant because permanent year-round access could expand the domestic market for ethanol beyond the seasonal restrictions that have historically affected E15 sales.
The National Corn Growers Association is supporting advancement of the legislation and specifically identified year-round E15 as a priority in an Aug. 3 letter to Boozman and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. NCGA urged Congress to provide nationwide year-round access to E15 and said the policy could support corn demand and the rural economy while addressing fuel affordability.
The legislation also includes provisions affecting the broader biofuels and bioproducts sector. NCGA highlighted provisions defining sustainable aviation fuel as an advanced biofuel, encouraging SAF production, reauthorizing USDA’s BioPreferred Program and making changes to the Biorefinery Assistance Program.
The E15 provision still faces a legislative process before it could become law. NCGA acknowledged that limited legislative days remain this Congress and urged the Senate Agriculture Committee to advance the farm bill before the August recess. The organization said it wants the Agricultural Act, including year-round E15, to advance on a bipartisan basis and be signed into law this year.
Sources: U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee — Agricultural Act of 2026, full bill text
U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee — Farm Bill 2.0 section-by-section summary
National Corn Growers Association — NCGA Letter Supports Action on Senate Farm Bill