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In my decade of attending Farmfest, I've found that conversations often start with the weather, market conditions and the cost of doing business. But they usually come back to a larger question: Are policymakers paying attention to what Greater Minnesota needs?
This year one issue deserves to be part of that conversation: year-round E15.
For anyone who has seen Unleaded 88 at the gas pump but is not quite sure what it means, E15 is a gasoline blend with 15% ethanol. Most gasoline sold today already contains 10% ethanol. E15 simply increases that blend to 15%, bumps the octane level from 87 to 88, and gives drivers another lower-cost fuel option that has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in light-duty vehicles model year 2001 and newer. That includes nearly all cars, trucks and SUVs on the road today.
A lower-cost option matters because fuel costs matter. They matter to families driving to work, school and the grocery store. They matter to small businesses trying to manage delivery costs. They matter even more in Greater Minnesota, where people often drive longer distances for work, health care, childcare, and everyday life.
A new statewide survey conducted by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association in partnership with Morning Consult found that Minnesotans understand the value of this option. The survey found that 68% of Minnesotans support selling E15 year-round on a permanent basis. That support crosses party lines, with backing from Democrats, Republicans and Independents.
After respondents learned more about ethanol and E15, support for year-round access grew to 76%. That tells us something important: Minnesotans are open to E15, and the more they learn, the more they support it.
The survey also found that 57% of Minnesotans view E15 favorably, and half said they would be more likely to support an elected official who works to expand E15 access. In a political environment where so many issues divide voters, E15 stands out as a practical issue with broad support.
It is not hard to understand why.
E15 supports Minnesota farmers by creating demand for corn grown locally. It supports jobs and rural economies where ethanol producers and fuel retailers are located.. It helps keep more energy dollars in the Midwest instead of sending them overseas. It also gives consumers access to a cleaner-burning fuel option that is consistently priced lower than traditional gasoline.
The strongest messages in the survey reflected that common-sense appeal. Minnesotans responded to the benefits of cleaner air, support for family farms and American energy independence. During a summer defined by wildfire smoke, economic challenges on the farm, and escalating conflict abroad, those are not partisan talking points. They are shared priorities.
Reflecting the broad bipartisan support of Minnesotans, the U.S. House has already passed H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which would allow E15 to be sold year-round nationwide. The Minnesota House delegation -- from the most conservative Republican to the most liberal Democrat -- unanimously supported passage. The US Senate must follow suit.
For Minnesota, passage would be significant. Permanent year-round E15 would give our 556 fuel retailers currently offering E15 more certainty by removing confusing,outdated seasonal restrictions that limit access during the months when families are driving most.
Minnesota has long been a leader in renewable fuels. Our state has shown that biofuels can support agriculture, strengthen rural economies and give consumers more choice. Year-round E15 is the next practical step.
Farmfest is a fitting place to talk about it because this issue connects directly to the people and communities represented there. It is about farmers. It is about fuel costs. It is about rural economic strength.
Minnesotans support year-round E15. It is time for the Senate to listen and take action.
-- Brian Werner is the executive director of the Minnesota BioFuels Association