Corn Growers Furious with New Development on E15

The House is expected to advance a funding bill today that omits language that would allow consumers across the country to access fuels with a 15% corn ethanol blend, often referred to as E15.

In response to this development, Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower released the following statement:

"Corn growers are disgusted, disappointed and disillusioned that after spending years of calling for passage of E15, Congress has again punted, and it has done so in a spectacularly weak and offensive way. Bizarrely, members of Congress are now planning to establish a rural energy council to explore this legislation as if we are in the beginning stages of discussing E15. We already have a bill. We already have an agreement with the petroleum industry after months of negotiation. But instead of acting, Congress is now suggesting a process-ridden task force that kicks the can down the road once again. Congress is choosing to leave America's 500,000 corn farmers behind in favor of a handful of refineries."