This past weekend in Emory, Texas, about 75 miles from Dallas, fishermen and women from across the country descended upon Lake Fork for a stop on the Crappie Masters National Tournament Trail. The winners, the Ozark Rods Team of David Cox and Steve Hockett, took home nearly $5,000 in prize money AND powered their boat with clean, octane-boosting 10% ethanol (E10). I am proud to say that this tournament showcased ethanol--a homegrown, renewable fuel, some of which is made in the great state of Texas. Texas is home to four ethanol biorefineries, including two (in Plainview and Hereford) that are owned and operated by my company, White Energy. As CEO, I'm proud to help produce a clean, green, domestic renewable fuel that helps to promote cleaner air and water, while supporting nearly 360,000 American jobs. Virtually every gallon of U.S. gasoline today contains at least E10, and the tournament over the weekend highlighted the benefits of this high-octane fuel for boat motors and the environment. This stop on the Trail marked the seventh of the 2018 Crappie Masters Tournament. The Crappie Masters Tournament is the only competition that highlights and promotes awareness of ethanol in marine engines. In fact, every winning team the past three years has used E10 in their boats. Additionally, the winners of the 2017 Crappie Masters Tournament highlighted that fueling with E10 played a factor in their championship, yielding great performance for their team. While many consumers understand the numerous benefits of ethanol in vehicles, there continues to be misinformation about the fuel's use in marine engines. That's exactly why the Renewable Fuels Association, which represents U.S. ethanol producers like White Energy, is again the co-title sponsor of the Crappie Masters National Tournament Trail this year. There are 12 million recreational boats in the U.S. and all of them are compatible with E10! For nearly 30 years, E10 has helped to provide an extra octane boost to marine engines and in fact, the fuel is preferred by the National Boat Racing Association. Ethanol is a homegrown, renewable fuel that I am proud to support. However, while E10 is approved for use in all marine engines, higher ethanol blends, such as E15, are not. This should not be a concern for consumers. Federal regulations require higher ethanol blends be clearly labeled at the pump. In the six years since E15 has been offered, there has not been a single reported case of E15 misfueling in a marine or any other engine. Thanks to Crappie Masters, I am thrilled that fishermen and women throughout our country continue to learn about the numerous benefits of ethanol, and I'm proud to be able to contribute to making our nation greener and more energy independent. I look forward to the next Crappie Masters Tournament Trail stop in Sunrise Beach, Mo., on April 14, showcasing ethanol's power to marine engines. by Greg Thompson, CEO of White Energy
