More about biofuel and ethanol research at the Agricultural Research Service:

• Jet biofuel (7/01)
• More efficient ethanol (4/01)
• Switchgrass, ethanol and soil carbon (2/01)
• Beltsville heats with biodiesel (10/00)
• Biodegradable hydraulic fluid (4/00)
• Enzyme recycling (12/99)
• Turning veggie oil into biofuel (6/99)
• Corn fiber and gum (12/97)
• Bacterial biofuel? (12/97)

USDA to Expand Use of Biodiesel, Ethanol Fuels

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7--The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that USDA agencies will use biodiesel and ethanol fuels in their fleet vehicles where practicable and reasonable in cost. This new policy shows USDA's support for the National Energy Plan as well as for improving our environmental air quality, the prosperity of the rural economy, and our Nation's energy independence.

""The energy challenges our nation faces today offer tremendous opportunities for agriculture," said Secretary Ann M. Veneman. "Agriculture can help us solve our energy problems through the production of domestic liquid fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. Renewable energy is good for independence, good for farmers, and good for the environment."

The Department will request coordination in the following areas:

• All USDA diesel fuel storage tanks nationwide will be filled with blends of 20 percent (B20) or higher biodiesel fuel where practicable and reasonable in costs.
• All USDA-maintained gasoline fueling facilities will buy and use ethanol-blended fuels containing at least 10 percent domestically produced ethanol to the extent practicable, where the fuel is readily available and reasonably priced, compared with unleaded gasoline.
• USDA's over 700 E-85 flex-fuel vehicles will use ethanol fuel where those vehicles operate in geographical areas that offer E-85 fueling stations.
• USDA agencies will purchase or lease alternative fuel vehicles, including E-85 flex-fuel vehicles, for geographic areas that offer alternative fueling.

USDA's Henry A. Wallace Agricultural Research Center (Beltsville Center) in Beltsville, Md., has demonstrated the feasibility of soy-oil based biodiesel as a transportation and heating fuel and has used it in all 150 of its diesel vehicles--everything from tractors to snowplows--over the past two years

In addition, the Beltsville Center, operated by USDA's Agricultural Research Service, will heat all of its buildings with biodiesel fuel next winter, including the 14-story ARS National Agricultural Library in Beltsville. The decision was made as a result of last winter's successful experiment with heating a dozen buildings.

Biodiesel is a cleaner burning alternative fuel that can be made by refining any natural oils, including vegetable oil, animal fat and spent cooking oil.

USDA has about 140 diesel fuel tanks on its properties nationwide. The tanks serve about 800 vehicles, including some boats. They also provide fuel for numerous chain saws, generators and other diesel-powered equipment. Over the past two years the U.S. Forest Service has used biodiesel in 15 assorted bulldozers, road graders and trucks located at the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota.

Other recent conversions to biodiesel fuels have been announced by the Maryland cities of Greenbelt, Takoma Park and Ocean City.