Good news if you’re a fuel retailer in Kansas. The state offers a 40 percent tax credit to retailers who invest in E85 fuel. Couple that with the 30 percent tax credit the federal government offers, and fuel retailers in Kansas can take advantage of a 70 percent return on their E85 investments. That’s one of the key points Sue Schulte, the Director of Communications of the Kansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Associations, drove home to attendees at today’s educational forum on E85 fuel. The forum was hosted by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council to help direct local members of the ethanol industry in Kansas City on how to get online with E85.

Sue clued participants in on where the ethanol industry stands in Kansas, so producers and retailers could get a feel for what the state already has to offer and determine where and how the local industry can grow. Sue says there are 10 dry mill ethanol plants in operation in Kansas. These plants have a capacity to produce over 329 mill gallons of ethanol. Sue says that current Kansas production creates a market for over 116 million bushels of sorghum and corn. She adds that more expansion is on the way, with ethanol plants that are either under construction or nearing construction having projected production capabilities of about 330 more million gallons of ethanol each year. The state’s fuel industry is beginning to respond. Sue says just five filling stations offered ethanol in 2005. Now, there are 24 stations throughout the state that pump the alternative fuel.

I caught up with Sue and asked her about her thoughts on what today’s educational forum on E85 offered local industry members. You can listen to my interview with Sue here:

[audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/audio/Schulte_Sue.mp3]