Wider E15 sales could create more demand for corn, POET CEO Jeff Broin argued in 2018, but that was an industry leader’s projection—not proof ethanol would save farm incomes or prevent farm closures. Since then, federal rules have changed to permit year-round E15 sales under specified conditions, and the EPA has estimated growing E15 volumes. Those developments show policy and market expansion, not that the farm economy was rescued.
What did POET’s CEO say ethanol could do for farmers?
At an Iowa Biotechnology Association event in Ankeny on March 21, 2018, POET founder and CEO Jeff Broin argued that biofuels offered a major opportunity to increase demand for crops while farm prices were depressed. He also chaired Growth Energy, an ethanol industry trade association. Successful Farming reported his argument and projections at the time.
Broin said wider E15 sales could eventually expand the ethanol market by 7 billion gallons and generate demand for more than 2 billion bushels of U.S. corn. Both numbers were his projections as reported in 2018; they are not verified outcomes. The argument was that greater fuel demand would create another market for corn, potentially supporting prices and farm revenue.
The article also reported Broin’s account of the farm squeeze: he cited a 50% decline in farm income from 2013 to 2016 and a J.P. Morgan forecast that 10% of Midwest farms could go out of business that year. The latter was a forecast cited second-hand in the 2018 article, not a count of farms that ultimately failed. These historical figures should not be read as current measurements. Successful Farming’s March 2018 report
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#1 Best Overall
- Test your fuel for proper ethanol levels to ensure it does not damage your engine. Test kit also tests for e85.
- Simple test to discover the percentage of ethanol alcohol in gasoline. With readings of e10, e15, e20, e25, e80, e85 and e90
- High levels of ethanol could damage your fuel system and lower your fuel mileage.
- Ethanol can damage motors not equipped or designed to use it, test your gasoline first.
- Easy to read label and instructions that is laminated to prevent fading or the ink rubbing off. Testing bottle can be reused over and over.
How E15 policy changed after the 2018 argument
Broin’s push for wider E15 access came when summer sales rules were a significant obstacle. In 2019, the EPA finalized a rule extending the one-psi Reid Vapor Pressure waiver—which had applied to E10—to gasoline blends containing up to 15% ethanol. Under the revised regulations, that allowed E15 to be sold year-round without additional RVP control. This was a subsequent regulatory change, not a condition already in place when the 2018 article was published. EPA summary of fuel regulations
In April 2025, the EPA separately announced an emergency waiver allowing nationwide summer E15 sales. The 2025 waiver and the 2019 rule are distinct actions: one was a later emergency measure, while the other changed the regulations governing the RVP waiver. The 2025 release quoted Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson welcoming the action; that statement is a stakeholder’s response, not an independent evaluation of its farm-income effects. EPA’s April 29, 2025 announcement
Rank #2
- 【Protect Your Engine】This ethanol tester E85 can get the ethanol level in gasoline and E85 pump gas in just 5 minutes, testing the fuel's ethanol content at peak levels to make sure it won't damage your engine.【Please note】The lid is designed with a self release safety point. Simply twist the lid until you feel slight resistance, then stop. This ensures a secure fit without loosening
- 【Reduce Spills】The wide mouth style of gasoline fuel test bottle is designed to reduce spills and prevent leaks by making it easy to pour gasoline and water into the bottle for testing without the use of a funnel, preventing gasoline from getting on your hands
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- 【Reusable and Durable】The E85 Fuel Test Kit is made of high density material, which is durable and corrosion resistant, allowing you to measure ethanol or E85 in gasoline hundreds of times
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What do E15 sales estimates show?
The EPA’s 2025 draft Renewable Fuel Standard impact analysis lists the following total E15 volumes. Its 2026 and 2027 values are estimates, not observed sales:
| Year | E15 volume | Status in the EPA analysis |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 54 million gallons | Listed volume |
| 2022 | 66 million gallons | Listed volume |
| 2023 | 80 million gallons | Listed volume |
| 2024 | 93 million gallons | Listed volume |
| 2025 | 106 million gallons | Estimate in the 2025 draft analysis |
| 2026 | 149 million gallons | Projection in the 2025 draft analysis |
| 2027 | 168 million gallons | Projection in the 2025 draft analysis |
The estimates point to an expanding E15 market, but gallons sold do not by themselves show how much additional corn demand reached farmers or how farm income changed. The analysis notes that crop prices are influenced by global weather, energy costs, biofuel policies, international tariffs and trade disputes, among other factors. EPA’s 2025 draft RFS impact analysis
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- Wide Mouth Design for Fewer Spills: Designed specifically with a wide mouth to easily pour gasoline and water into the bottle without spills and leaks. No more getting gas on your hands or searching for a funnel to fill and test your ethanol levels
- Reusable Over and Over: This fuel test bottle allows you to measure ethanol or E85 levels in your gasoline hundreds of times, with a screen-printed label made to last
- Quick and Clear Results: Test your gasoline levels in 5 minutes and three simple steps. Add water to the Water Fill Line. Then add gas to the Gasoline Fill Line. Shake well and wait five minutes. Gasoline and water will separate to provide clear results
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- Protect Your Engine in Minutes: Ensure correct ethanol levels to protect and maintain your engine with our quick 5 minute test. Whether you are looking for an ethanol test kit or an E85 test kit, this bottle will correctly measure alcohol levels in both types of gasoline
Does E15 expansion prove ethanol helped farm finances?
No. The policy changes and EPA volume estimates establish that E15 access and projected sales expanded; they do not establish that this expansion raised farm incomes enough to rescue the farm economy or prevented farm closures. Broin’s 2018 forecast was an argument for a policy and market opportunity, not a measured before-and-after assessment.
The EPA’s 2025 release reported that Iowa drivers saved $38.5 million in 2024 by choosing E15 over E10. That figure is specific to Iowa and is attributed to the EPA release; it is not a nationwide savings estimate or, on its own, evidence of increased farm income. EPA’s April 2025 release
Rank #4
- SPILL-PROOF WIDE MOUTH DESIGN: This e85 ethanol tester features an wide opening that eliminates messy spills when pouring gasoline/water, and no funnel required. The leak-resistant construction keeps hands clean while collecting fuel samples, making this ethanol tester for gasoline ideal for garage and field use.
- 3-STEP ACCURACY IN 5 MINS: Get laboratory-grade precision through this e85 fuel octane tester: First: fill to blue water line. Next: add gas to red fuel line. And then shake and wait 5 minutes. The e85 fuel test bottle clearer ethanol percentage readings than standard test kits.
- PROFESSIONAL-GRADE DURABILITY: This octane tester for gasoline constructed with chemical-resistant HDPE material that withstands 200+ test cycles. Heat-defying walls prevent warping in extreme temps, while the scratch-proof screen-printed markings stay legible through heavy use.
- SMART DUAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM: The e85 octane tester color-coded fill lines (blue for water/red for gas) align with 5% increment scales on both front/back sides. The ultra-clear e85 fuel test bottle body allows 360° visual verification, ensuring precise E85 compatibility checks for any engine type.
- PORTABLE AND LIGHTWEIGHT: Measuring 5.9 inches with a 1-ounce featherweight profile, this e85 tester kit delivers professional-grade ethanol testing anywhere. Obtain precise readings within 5 minutes to verify fuel ethanol levels, safeguarding your engine's peak performance through optimal fuel quality control.
A USDA Economic Research Service report from 2009 models agricultural changes under specified scenarios. Because it predates Broin’s 2018 prediction and is scenario analysis rather than an evaluation of current farm outcomes, it cannot establish whether that prediction came true. USDA ERS report on biofuel expansion and agriculture
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