Governors' Biofuels Coalition

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., seeks to complete a farm bill before a new Congress starts next year, but passage will hinge on how the lame-duck session shapes up. “Obviously, there are a lot of things out there that need to be done. I’d like to figure out a pathway to get the farm bill done,” Thune told reporters on Monday. “But it’s all going to be what we have the votes to do and then the time on the clock to do.”

The National Corn Growers Association on Monday urged Congress to “act immediately” to pass a measure that would allow year-round, voluntary U.S. sales of higher ethanol-fuel blends, known as E15. The country’s biggest corn lobby also is calling on lawmakers to pass a farm bill this year. A farm bill approved by the Senate Ag Committee in September includes E15, while the House passed a stand-alone E15 measure in May. Both bills are opposed by petroleum groups due to provisions that would alter how biofuel-rule exemptions for financially stressed oil refiners are handled under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

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