U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue traveled to Iowa last week to recognize and promote the first round of grants from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program to provide incentives for fuel retailers to install infrastructure required to offer higher blends of biofuels.

The program, called the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), awarded funds to 15 Iowa fuel retailers, including about $5 million to Casey’s General Stores, about $1.6 million to Kum & Go and about $1 million to Danlee Corp., owners of Phillip 66 stations. 

Perdue toured the Golden Grain Energy ethanol plant in Mason City with Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley in the morning, then visited a Casey’s...