Florida legislators are being asked to help fund biofuels research in the Sunshine State.

Dr. Jimmy Cheek, Senior Vice President for Agricultural and Natural Resources at the University of Florida, says they are working to convince the legislature to support an alternative fuel initiative that would provide funding to help build a pilot plant in Gainesville and support cellulosic ethanol research.

“Biofuels are critical to the future of Florida,” said Cheek in an interview with Southeast Agnet. “We will not probably produce ethanol from corn and sugar but we will produce it from cellulose.”

That includes agricultural products, agricultural waste, trees, urban waste and hurricane debris.

Listen to Cheek’s interview with Katherine Bush of Southeast Agnet: Dr. Jimmy Cheek (1 min MP3)