Iowa Democrat Urges Newsom to Back 15% Ethanol Sales for 2028 Bid
Updated
Updated · Des Moines Register · Aug 8
Iowa Democrat Urges Newsom to Back 15% Ethanol Sales for 2028 Bid
2 articles · Updated · Des Moines Register · Aug 8
Summary
Mike Gronstal, a former Iowa Senate majority leader, urged California Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow E15 gasoline sales, arguing cheaper fuel could also raise his profile in Iowa ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run.
The advice targets rural voters by tying Newsom to biofuels, but the opinion piece says California is unlikely to become a major new market for Iowa corn.
A 2025 analysis cited in the article found little E15 is likely to be sold in California, noting only about 3,000 U.S. stations offer it now and sales have stayed weak because drivers are wary and stations resist new pump costs.
The piece also argues E15 offers limited price relief because ethanol has been costlier than gasoline for most of the past 20 years after adjusting for lower energy content.
Looking beyond politics, it says rising EV adoption could cut liquid-fuel demand further, leaving corn farmers exposed to oversupply and weakening the long-term case for ethanol-led farm support.
With electric vehicles rising, is California's delayed E15 rollout a false hope keeping Midwest farmers trapped in an oversupplied corn market?
If ethanol expansion worsens drinking water pollution, what sustainable alternatives can absorb America's massive corn surplus without harming the environment?
Could shifting corn demand from liquid fuels to advanced biomanufacturing finally solve the agricultural oversupply crisis before peak oil demand hits?