SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Your Ag Network) — Leaders of the National Corn Growers Association say they remain committed to securing year-round sales of E15 ethanol-blended fuel, despite another late-stage setback in Congress.
Speaking at the 2026 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, NCGA President Jed Bower said corn growers have spent more than a decade advocating for permanent nationwide access to E15, a fuel blend containing 15% ethanol.
“We started this process well over a decade ago,” Bower said in an interview with Lorrie Boyer of Your Ag Network. “We’ve been educating and pushing for years. As growers, we’re not normally real forceful, but we’ve been more aggressive on this than we ever have been.”
Bower said corn growers believed they were close to a legislative solution both last year and again this year, only to see it removed at the final hour. He described discussions with House leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who Bower said expressed frustration over having to pull the measure from a broader package.
The White House had facilitated negotiations among corn growers, oil industry representatives and fuel retailers in an effort to reach a compromise. Bower said NCGA reached what it believed was an agreement with the American Petroleum Institute, but divisions within the refining sector ultimately stalled the effort.
“It’s been a long, hard battle against oil and their coffers,” Bower said. “When we came together with API, we truly thought we had an answer for rural America and a way to bring relief. But at the last second, we hit the hill.”
Bower noted that small and mid-size refineries were not directly involved in the negotiations, which he said contributed to fragmentation within the industry.
Despite the setback, Bower said the organization expects a vote and will continue pressing lawmakers for a permanent legislative fix. Currently, E15 sales are restricted during summer months in much of the country due to federal vapor pressure regulations, unless temporary waivers are issued.
Corn growers argue that year-round E15 would expand domestic ethanol demand, strengthen rural economies and provide consumers with a lower-cost fuel option.
Bower made his comments during the 2026 Commodity Classic, one of the nation’s largest farmer-led agricultural trade shows. The event brings together growers from across the country for educational sessions, policy discussions and industry exhibits focused on improving efficiency, sustainability and profitability on the farm.
“We truly thought we were going to get it done,” Bower said. “But we’re not finished.”