Year-Round E15 Access Could Boost Corn Demand by 50%

If Congress passed legislation that allowed for year-round, nationwide access to fuels with 15 percent ethanol blends, corn use in ethanol could increase by 50 percent at full implementation, supporting a higher market price for corn and energy stability for Americans, according to a new analysis released by the National Corn Growers Association.

“Congress could address the economic crisis affecting corn growers by passing legislation that would make higher blends of ethanol readily accessible to all Americans,” said NCGA President Jed Bower. “We urge Congress to act now to make that happen.”

NCGA has spent months calling on Congress to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, which would eliminate an outdated regulation that prevents the sale of fuel with 15 percent ethanol blends, referred to as E15. The organization has highlighted research showing that year-round access to E15 helps farmers and rural communities while bolstering U.S. energy security and saving consumers money at the pump.

The release of NCGA’s economic analysis comes as corn growers face multiple financial burdens, from higher input costs to corn prices that are at a five-year low, which have plunged growers into an economic crisis.

Over the next decade, USDA forecasts corn use in ethanol to stay near the current 5.6-billion-bushel level and near the current share of total corn use. But the trend for corn production, in the U.S. and globally, is expected to continue rising on productivity gains and expanded production area in other nations. Without allowing demand to increase correspondingly, the analysis notes, the increased supply will further depress already below-breakeven market prices.

Corn grower advocates say it is their goal to get E15 legislation across the finish line by year’s end. President Trump has expressed unwavering support for the legislation.