The U SDA is a very big energy consumer with a car fleet of almost 43 000 vehicles. The Department reported 42 882 light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles in the motor vehicle inventory in 2009. The approximate total fuel consumption was 19.5 mil­lion gallons. USDA Motor Vehicle Fleet traveled approximately 342.5 million miles with approximately $41 million in fuel costs reported. Time to set an example and use clean biofuels (http://www. whitehouse. gov/blog/2010/10/22)!

11.5

Partnership with the FAA

The USDA is already partnering with the Department of the Navy as it embraces a biofuel future. The USDA also announced another partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the FAA (www. faa. gov). Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the USDA and FAA will work together with the airline industry over the next 5 years to develop appropriate feedstocks that can be most efficiently processed into jet fuel. Doing so will decrease the industry’s current dependence on foreign oil and help stabilize fuel costs in the long run.

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