Wal-Mart might start using biodiesel in America's largest private truck fleet

There's an argument you sometimes hear from SUV fans that increasing the MPG rating of a Hummer by a little bit makes a bigger difference than increasing the MPG numbers on a fuel-efficient standard (i.e., non-hybrid) Civic. The idea is that Hummers use so much fuel to get around that changing them, the worst offenders, just a little bit can make a huge difference.
I just found out that this concept, slightly changed, was played out by members of the Kansas Soybean Association, the National Biodiesel Board and officials from Wal-Mart in October. KSA members went to Arkansas to try and convince Wal-Mart executives to use biodiesel in their trucking fleet. The meeting – and this gives a great down-home touch to the story – was the result of a Kansas soybean farmer who wrote to the retail colossus about five years ago suggesting the biofuel for America's largest private trucking fleet. KSA and NBB members met with Wal-Mart's maintenance staff and fuel purchases, and discovered that Wal-Mart has actually been testing biodiesel on its own. The company is very interested in greening up its image, said KSA executive director Kenlon Johannes, but wants to make sure biodiesel will be available across the country before committing to use it. Do you think Willie Nelson is up to the challenge?

[Source: Greg Martin / Northwest Ag Information Network]