U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue last week offered hope for a imminent change in federal rules to allow year-round sales of the E15 fuel blend and strongly defended the Trump administration’s trade policies.

The current trade tensions are part of a transitional period, Perdue said. He predicted that U.S. farmers will see stronger and more stable export demand once trade issues are resolved.

“When we get these trade issues resolved, I think the sales will be even better,” Perdue said during a stop on his tour of the Farm Progress Show near Boone. “The world knows that we have high-quality ag products and supplies they can depend on.”

Perdue, who also attended several...