The Illinois Farm Bureau is asking its members to contact U.S. Senator Dick Durbin in support of a proposed federal farm bill that would authorize the year-round sale of E15 gasoline nationwide.
The action request was issued Tuesday ahead of a scheduled Thursday markup by the Senate Agriculture Committee before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman released the updated Agricultural Act of 2026 on Friday. The proposal would update major farm programs that have remained largely unchanged since Congress passed the last comprehensive farm bill in 2018.
The legislation includes provisions aimed at improving access to credit for farmers, expanding investments in specialty crops, increasing transparency in fertilizer markets, and strengthening agricultural research and conservation programs.
The House approved its version of the farm bill in August, but it did not include language authorizing year-round E15 sales. However, the House has separately passed legislation allowing year-round sales of the higher ethanol blend.
Both the House and Senate proposals build on last year’s reconciliation package, which invested $66 billion in farm programs and strengthened portions of the farm safety net, though several major farm bill provisions were left unresolved.
The Illinois Farm Bureau’s action request will remain open until the Senate Agriculture Committee votes on the proposal.