COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Representatives from two farmer-owner cooperatives have announced a partnership created to make E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) more readily available and affordable to Missourians with flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs) by offering it at 20% less than regular unleaded gasoline.
Jerry Taylor, president of MFA Oil Co., and Ryland Utlaut, president of Mid-Missouri Energy (MME), explained the agreement at during a press conference at MFA Oil's headquarters in Columbia, Mo., last Friday.
MFA Oil is a 77-year-old farm cooperative [image-nocss] that distributes fuel through bulk facilities, Petro-Card 24 unattended fueling units, dealer-owned gas stations and Break Time convenience stores. MME is a farmer-owned ethanol plant near Malta Bend, Mo.
MFA Oil currently offers E85 at 25 of its Break Time and Petro-Card 24 locations. Taylor said the company is already implementing its plan to double the number of facilities equipped with E85 pumps. The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) is providing part of the funding for the additional E85 pumps.
Our goal is to help educate consumers so that E85 becomes their fuel of choice, Taylor said. In doing so, we continue to demonstrate MFA Oil Co.'s commitment to strengthening rural economies through support of the biofuel industry.
Stressing the importance of producing renewable fuels that will allow Americans to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, Taylor emphasized that ethanol and biodiesel plants have the potential to be one of the most important economic developments ever to occur in rural Missouri. These biofuel plants not only bring farmers a better price for their crops, but they employ people and afford their farmer owners a return on their investment, he said.
Utlaut supported Taylor's position, noting that ethanol production boosts Missouri's total economic output by $205 million. He said corn used for ethanol production has historically commanded prices ranging from five to 10 cents higher than corn used for other purposes.
To promote E85 awareness, Taylor said MFA Oil will give away a 2006 Ford F-150 FFV at the Fourth of July Fire in the Sky celebration in Columbia.
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