Nebraska’s E15 Sales Surge as Farmer-Funded Infrastructure Pays Off

Nebraska drivers bought more gallons of E15 fuel in 2025, a nearly 45% jump from the year before, according to the Nebraska Department of Revenue’s 2026 Report of the Statewide Ethanol Blend Rate. The increase comes as Nebraska corn farmers continue to invest checkoff dollars in the fuel infrastructure needed to make higher ethanol blends available at more pumps across the state.

E15 gallons sold rose, even as overall motor fuel gallons sold in the state held steady. That growth reflects a fuel market shifting toward higher blends, and a return on the investments Nebraska corn farmers have made for years to get E15 in front of more drivers.

“Nebraska corn farmers have invested checkoff dollars in the infrastructure it takes to get higher ethanol blends to the pump, and these numbers show that investment is paying off,” said Matt Sullivan, farmer from Superior, Nebraska and district 2 director for the Nebraska Corn Board. “Every gallon of E15 sold is a direct result of retailers having the equipment in place to offer it, and as farmers, we are proud to help make that possible. This kind of growth is exactly the direction we need.”

This growth does not happen at the pump alone. For multiple years, the Nebraska Corn Board has funded its Ethanol Infrastructure Grant Program, offering fuel retailers up to $50,000 per location to install the equipment needed to offer E15 and other higher blends. The grants paid for through the corn checkoff help offset the cost of converting a standard pump into one capable of dispensing E15, E30 or E85, lowering the financial barrier for retailers across the state to add higher blends to their offerings. NCB is again offering infrastructure grants and encourage retailers to contact the NCB office for additional information.

The 2025 numbers show that investment translating into gallons sold. As more retail locations have added blender pump capability through the grant program, Nebraska drivers have had more places to choose E15, and they are choosing it in greater numbers every year.

Statewide, Nebraska’s overall ethanol blend rate ticked up to 9.6% in 2025. The E15 growth reported this year moves the needle and shows what’s possible when infrastructure keeps pace with demand.

Nebraska ranks among the nation’s top corn-producing states, and ethanol remains one of the largest markets for the state’s corn crop. As E15 availability expands, Nebraska corn farmers see it as both an economic win for drivers at the pump and a win for the farms growing the corn behind it.