Mike Naig:
Iowa’s Ag Secretary is urging the U.S. Senate to advance legislation that would allow year-round, nationwide sales of E15 gasoline.
Mike Naig tells Brownfield, “Whether it goes in a farm bill, goes as a standalone, or goes in a supplemental budget, I don’t particularly care as long as it moves. It’s just too good of an opportunity to help the farm community, but also to help consumers save money at the pump at a time when we absolutely need it.”
E15 legislation passed out of the full U.S. House earlier this year but has since stalled in the Senate.
“We always believed that if it got an up or down vote in the House it would pass,” Naig said. “And sure enough it did.”
Naig says Senate supporters are searching for a legislative vehicle to carry the measure forward.
“Last year, Iowans saved $60 million in fuel costs just by choosing E15 over E10. I think we need to set aside politics here and get this done.”
The secretary says pushback continues to come from areas with small and mid-sized oil refiners.
