NCGA
Members Attend Missouri E-85 Pump Grand Opening (3-19-04)
Members of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) participated
today in the grand opening of an E-85 retail pump in Smithville,
Mo., the eighth pump of its kind in Missouri and 169th public pump
nationwide.
The dramatic increase in the number of commercial E-85 pumps in
recent years is proof that consumers are realizing the economic and
environmental benefits of ethanol, said NCGA President Dee Vaughan.
Since the beginning of 2003, at least 14 public E-85 pumps have been
opened, and 23 states now offer E-85.
“
E-85 pumps like the one in Smithville are popping up all over the
country,” Vaughan said. “Every day, more and more consumers
are buying into the benefits of renewable energy. Ethanol is the
fuel of the future, and as demand continues to increase, we’ll
certainly see more retail stations offering E-85.”
To promote the official unveiling of the pump, located at the Smithville
Cenex Ampride station, E-85 was sold today for just 85 cents per
gallon. The introduction of E-85 to the area not only provides economic
stimulus for local corn farmers and ethanol producers, but also offers
environmental benefits to Kansas City-area residents, according to
Missouri Corn Growers Association President Sam Creed.
“It's a great day to celebrate the partnership that brings
our renewable fuel – ethanol – from the cornfield to
the consumer,” said Creed, who attended the event. “In
this case, the partnership involves Missouri corn growers, a farmer-owned
ethanol plant, a farmer-owned fuel retailer with a new E-85 fuel
pump, and flexible-fuel vehicles manufactured by the Big Three automakers.
This partnership will bring cleaner air to Kansas City, a stronger
rural economy and less dependence on foreign oil.”
The cooperative effort includes United Cooperatives, owner of the
pump; Golden Triangle Energy, owner of the ethanol plant that produced
the fuel; National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, a Missouri-based group
advocating the use of ethanol and E-85; and Missouri corn growers.
Data from industry experts suggests the amount of corn used in ethanol
production will increase dramatically over the next several years.
Missouri corn growers, like farmers from many other states, expect
E-85 production to serve as a critical market for their corn in the
near future.
“Today, nearly 8 percent of Missouri’s corn crop is
processed into ethanol by two farmer-owned ethanol plants,” Creed
said. “In the not-so-distant future, more than 20 percent of
our corn crop will go to ethanol production, and a great product
to help utilize our growing ethanol supply is E-85.”
For a complete listing
of E-85 stations throughout the nation, click here.