According to data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, E15 sales in Minnesota in March totaled 5.51 million gallons. In February, E15 sales in the state was 6.61 million gallons.

On March 13, Gov. Tim Walz declared a state of peacetime emergency as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread in Minnesota. By March 17, places of public accomodation were directed to close. On March 27, a stay-at-home order was issued.  

Consequently, traffic throughout Minnesota plunged. By March 27, traffic in the Twin Cities metro was 70 percent lower than what it usually is, based on data compiled by the Metropolitan Council. 

The last time monthly E15 sales in Minnesota was below 6 million gallons was in February 2019. 

On a cumulative basis, 18.96 million gallons of E15 was sold in the first three months of 2020. During the same period last year, a total of 17.17 million gallons of E15 was sold.