<b>By KEVIN WALKER<br>
Michigan Correspondent</b> </p><p>

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA has issued a new video about alternative fuels, the 20th in a series that’s free of charge to anyone.<br>
The series, called Partners Video Magazine, is produced by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), an agency within the USDA. The video series highlights the programs and accomplishments of the partnership between the agency and the land-grant university system.<br>
The latest video, Fueling America, examines four developments related to the critical issue of alternative fuels for motor vehicles: research into clean hydrogen fuel at the University of California, Berkeley; research at Purdue University into how a modified yeast might help break down sugars of straw and corn waste for more efficient ethanol production; research into technology to turn industrial fats into useful biodiesel; and research at the University of Tennessee to develop switchgrass as a source for cellulosic ethanol production.<br>
According to the agency, development of alternative motor vehicle fuels is essential because the number of cars in operation around the world is expected to double during the next 30 years.<br>
“Fueling America has been very popular. It’s such a hot topic right now,” said Cassie Copen, a spokeswoman for the agency.
Anybody can order one or all of the videos for free, or view them online at the CSREES website. In order to view them online it’s necessary to have Real Player software. The form for ordering seems to allow for an order of just one episode, but Copen said that one can specify more videos in the message portion of the form.<br>
Only the more recent videos are available on DVD; others are available on VHS tape. Some of the other topics include It’s Agrability!, Feeding America, The 4-H Centennial and Food Safety.
The agency produces a new video every four months. For details on the series, visit www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/partners/partners.html