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Farmer input needed for year-round access to E15

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The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a proposed rule that has the potential to make the selling of year-round E15 a reality this year. However, comments from Minnesota’s corn farmers are needed to ensure the rule increases access to E15 while maintaining a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

Currently, the proposed rule for E15 is paired with a complex proposal to change rules for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), the credits that demonstrate compliance with the RFS.  An effective RIN market helps drive more ethanol blending, but some provisions in EPA’s proposal could have the opposite effect. While EPA wants to move the E15 and RIN market rules together, we need EPA to ensure the RIN market proposal is fair to those who are blending more biofuels and not tilted in favor of refiners who choose not to blend.

It’s time to remove the outdated barrier to year-round sales of E15. Farmers benefit from increasing sales of higher blends of ethanol through growing demand for corn, while consumers benefit from lower fuel prices and lower emissions. Retailers want to offer this fuel. Farmers need to help ensure obstacles to year-round E15 sales are removed.

In addition to the grassroots response from Minnesota’s corn farmers, Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Brian Thalmann will be providing testimony raising these concerns during an EPA hearing in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Friday.

To ensure that E15 sales are not interrupted, we need your help today!

Submit your comments to EPA for year-round E15. The comment period closes April 29th!

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