To the editor:

Instead of Congressional leadership choosing to keep language about year-round E15 availability nationwide in the last funding bill, congressional leadership chose to remove. Rather than keeping E15 included, they established a new E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council with the intention to develop legislative solutions to “address the crisis facing our nation’s farmers and refiners.” Luckily, Minnesota corn farmers will have strong voices and representation with the help of both U.S. Representatives from Minnesota, Brad Finstad and Michelle Fischbach. Both are strong representatives of Minnesota’s corn production and ethanol manufacturing. I have built a strong relationship with each representative, discussing agriculture issues at length and keeping Minnesota farm economy moving forward.

We are fortunate to have achieved strong corn production while using less land and less fertilizers to still achieve a positive trend in production. Unfortunately, corn farmers are facing a multiyear cycle of low commodity prices, even during one of the strongest export periods of both corn and corn products. Consumer availability of E15 would not only benefit all Minnesota corn farmers, but anyone that is burning liquid fuels.

At all of the local Kwik Trip gas stations, we see about a $0.10 variation between 87 octane (10% ethanol) versus 88 octane (15% ethanol, or E15) – 87 being consistently more expensive. Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) have been long-term advocates for this financial opportunity for all consumers, with vehicles 2001 and newer, that are able to use this product every day.

Minnesota is actually the nation’s leader in E15 (88 octane) inclusion at gas stations. Currently of all gas burned in Minnesota, we are at about a 12.4% usage rate of ethanol. Minnesota outpaces the rest of the nation’s usage of both blended fuels and usage of ethanol as a whole. Recently at the end of January, President Trump again voiced his support for nationwide, year-round E15, but Congress has yet to send the bill to the president’s desk.

This is not a mandate, it’s a consumer choice – and that’s all we’re asking for, access to year-round E15 availability to everyone in the U.S.

Timothy A. Waibel

Courtland