December 21, 2024, DELAWARE, Ohio- The Continuing Resolution (CR) passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate is being met with mixed reactions from Ohio Corn & Wheat and farmers nationwide. The bill extends the provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill for another year. Still, it leaves producers in Ohio and throughout the country with an outdated framework that fails to support the realities and needs growers currently face while trying to keep their family-run farming operations viable.  

“While we are glad to have the Farm Bill extended, Congress fell short of helping farmers and making the agriculture industry strong and productive,” commented Tadd Nicholson, Executive Director of Ohio Corn & Wheat. 

The CR also provides disaster and economic relief to farmers impacted by natural disasters, drought, and helps offset low commodity prices and high input costs. However, the bill was stripped of previously promised legislation to make E15 an official nationwide, year-round fuel blend.  

“It is disappointing to see that Congress failed to do the right thing and make E15 legal year-round”, said Nicholson. “There was no downside to finally making E15 officially available all year, and it would have brought a commonsense solution to an outdated regulation that must be fixed to help consumers and corn growers now.” 

E15, commonly sold in Ohio as Unleaded 88, is a 15% ethanol fuel approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It can be used in 96% of all vehicles on the road today and is consistently a more affordable fuel choice for consumers. However, E15 requires an annual emergency waiver from the EPA to be sold from June through September.  

A broad coalition of stakeholders from the petroleum industry, fuel marketing, retail, ethanol, and the agriculture sector, including the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, have worked together to bring uniformity and regulation certainty to America’s fuel supply. 

“Ohio Corn & Wheat and our growers are not giving up the fight to make year-round E15 a reality,” commented Nicholson. “It’s the right thing to do for corn growers, the environment, and to help the American consumer.”