A federal grant will enable Casey’s General Stores in 11 area communities to offer customers higher blends of ethanol.

The United States Department of Agriculture awarded the company $3,519,825 to upgrade some of its stores across the state to offer E15 and E85 ethanol blends.

In the area, the company will invest some of that money in its stores in these communities:

• Algona

• Clarion

• Dayton

• Dows

• Eagle Grove

• Early

• Emmetsburg

• Fort Dodge

• Lake City

• Lohrville

• Webster City

The money can be used to retrofit E15 pumps, install new E15 pumps and install new E85 pumps.

“By providing fuel station and distribution facility owners with grants to install and upgrade infrastructure, USDA is helping folks find lower prices at the pump,” Theresa Greenfield, USDA rural development director for Iowa, said in a written statement.

Statewide, the USDA awarded $14,610,814 for ethanol pump upgrades and installations.