MFA Oil of Columbia is making a major push for ethanol, teaming up with Mid-Missouri Energy to pump more E85 gasoline into the marketplace. MFA President Jerry Taylor says that while vehicles might not get as many miles-per-gallon using the 85% blended ethanol fuel, drivers will more than make up for that by paying much less at the gas station. Taylor says studies indicate gas mileage might be reduced by 5-to-15%, but he notes that E85 can be sold at 20% below the cost of regular gasoline. E85 can be used in flexible-fuel vehicles. Normal ethanol-blended fuel contains 10% ethanol. He says MFA can offer the price break, because of its partnership with MME, a farmer-owned ethanol plant located near Malta Bend. The partnership will ensure a reliable, steady flow of ethanol. MFA offers E85 at 25 of its Break Time convenience stores and Petro-Card 24 locations. Taylor says the company already has plans to double that number. The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition is providing part of the funding for the additional E85 pumps. Taylor says an increase in the use of ethanol could reduce the country’s dependency on foreign oil.