Since August, all CountryMark proprietary gasoline has contained a 10 percent blend of ethanol. In addition to the E10 blends, a total of 13 CountryMark branded gas stations sell E85 fuel to a growing number of Hoosier consumers driving Flex Fuel Vehicles.

Press Release

December 18, 2008

The opening of Evansville’s first E85 fueling island Thursday at a CountryMark gas station amounted to more than just another fuel dispenser.

“This is an important event for several reasons,” stated executive director Kellie Walsh of the Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance. “Yes, it is the first E85 pump in Evansville. But even more importantly, this fueling island represents a critical link in the western Indiana intra-state corridor. Now Flex Fuel Vehicle drivers can travel from Gary to Evansville entirely on E85 if they so wish.”

Walsh will join other speakers including city officials, business leaders and corn farmers to celebrate the state’s latest E85 fueling pump at the CountryMark fuel station at the corner of North St. Joe Avenue and Mill Road in Evansville. The station is owned by Superior Ag Resources Cooperative, a locally-owned farmer cooperative, which sells CountryMark branded fuels.

“Making E85 more available to consumers had been a critical mission of the Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance and the Indiana State Government, under the leadership of Gov. Mitch Daniels,” Walsh added.

By making E85 more accessible to retail customers, the occasion marked yet another step in a state goal of transforming Indiana into a leader in the production and distribution of biofuels. With the opening of this pump, U.S. 41 became the state’s second “corridor” where consumers can readily find E85. In October, I-65 was officially designated as a “biofuels corridor” for an 866-mile stretch of interstate running from Gary, Ind., to Mobile, Ala.

E85 helps reduce dependency on foreign oil, according to Superior Ag Petroleum Division Manager Rick Madden. "To encourage FFV drivers to try the fuel, we’re selling E85 for 85 cents a gallon between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. during the Grand Opening," said Madden. "We are truly an all-American fuel supplier. In addition to the E85 we offer, all Superior Ag fuels are refined here in Indiana with local crude from the Illinois Basin."

Despite Superior’s 85 cent introductory offer, in recent weeks the price of E85 compared to petroleum gasoline has become a challenge for the ethanol industry.

“Bringing ethanol-blended fuels to the public today is not without its challenges,” said CountryMark Vice President of Marketing Jon Lantz. “There will be days drivers will see E85 priced higher than 87 octane, and there will be days they’ll see it lower. Both ethanol and petroleum energy products are driven by the markets and influenced by supply and demand, which are fluctuating constantly. But we hope that over time, on a day-in, day-out basis, drivers will see value in American-made fuels. We feel confident that the people of Evansville will value this new fueling choice and the leadership that Superior Ag brings to the community.”

Lantz emphasized CountryMark’s commitment to ethanol. Since August, all CountryMark proprietary gasoline has contained a 10 percent blend of ethanol. In addition to the E10 blends, a total of 13 CountryMark branded gas stations sell E85 fuel to a growing number of Hoosier consumers driving Flex Fuel Vehicles.

Randy Kron, a Vanderburgh County farmer who is also a director of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and vice president of Indiana Farm Bureau, was thrilled with the announcement of the first E85 pump in his community and is looking forward to filling his Flex Fuel Vehicle for the first time today with E85 in his hometown.

“By growing crops and producing ethanol, we create new jobs, boost local economies and expand our tax base,” said Kron. “We’re spending our precious dollars right here at home where they can have a more positive impact on the economy. On behalf of all Indiana corn farmers, I encourage those in my community to make fuel-buying decisions that are good for our community, good for our families, and good for our environment.”

About CountryMark: CountryMark is Indiana’s only American-owned oil refining and marketing company and it is recognized as a nationwide leader in the distribution of biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol. In addition to its corporate offices in Indianapolis, it operates a refinery in Mount Vernon and terminal locations in Mount Vernon, Switz City, Jolietville, and Peru, Ind., as well as Henderson, Kentucky. Nineteen branded cooperatives distribute CountryMark fuel to every county in Indiana. In addition, these cooperatives operate 90 fuel stations located primarily in Indiana, but also in Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan.

Source: CountryMark