The Renewable Fuels Association thanked congressional leaders for including a provision allowing the year-round sale of lower-cost, cleaner-burning E15 in the stop-gap funding bill text released by the House of Representatives.
“We are thrilled to see the long-awaited fix allowing year-round E15 in this package,” says RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “This language would finally remove an outdated regulatory barrier and we’re hopeful that the continuing resolution will move swiftly through Congress and to the president’s desk for a signature.”
He also says allowing year-round E15 sales would benefit farmers, fuel retailers, and consumers wanting lower-cost, cleaner fuel options at the pump. RFA thanked the House leadership, the Energy Committee leadership, and the dozens of House members on both sides of the aisle who advocated for the inclusion of this long-overdue provision.
At an average price of $2.62 per gallon nationwide, it’s selling at an 8.7 percent discount to E10.
The National Pork Producers Council on the other hand is deeply disappointed in Congress’ decision to relinquish its responsibility to produce a five-year farm bill and an overdue federal solution to California’s Proposition 12. The organization says pork producers don’t have the luxury of waiting for Congress to pass a new five-year bill.
“After years of losing money and forcing family farms out of business, we needed the certainty to make decisions,” says Lori Stevermer, NPPC President and a Minnesota pork producer. “America’s pork producers have continually raised our voices and have ultimately been ignored by Congress through its failure to provide a solution to the problems created by Prop 12.”
Instead, Congressional leadership announced its intention to pass a “clean” one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, denying new programs or funding.
NPPC and other agricultural stakeholders will continue to push Congress to provide a federal solution to Prop 12 and other priorities.
