Products Bearing BioPreferred Labels in Stores Soon
USDA identified the first 60 products independently certified to meet the program's standards for consisting wholly or significantly of agricultural ingredients -- renewable plant, animal, marine or forestry materials. About 400 products have been submitted in the first three months.
Consumers will soon see products bearing a BioPreferred label on their store shelves, now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the first 60 products to earn it. Independently certified to meet the voluntary program's standards for consisting wholly or significantly of agricultural ingredients -- renewable plant, animal, marine, or forestry materials -- these are among about 400 products submitted in the first three months of the program, which was created by the 2002 Farm Bill.
Products certified under the program also are subject to preferred purchasing by federal agencies. USDA said it estimates there are 20,000 biobased products now being manufactured in the United States.
The first batch to be accepted includes hand soaps and hand sanitizers, plant-based plastic packaging for fresh foods, cleaning products, engine oils and lubricants, and a DuPont renewably sourced fiber named Sorona®s to be spun into carpet, apparel, and home, office, and automotive interiors. John Ranieri, vice president of DuPont BioMaterials, said the label "helps both government agencies and consumers easily identify and select bio-based products and materials, and we look forward to promoting the label in association with Sorona®."
BioPreferred applicants must submit testing evidence of the biobased content they claim.
USDA Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the 60 products on March 31. "When consumers see the BioPreferred label in a store, they'll know that the product or its packaging is made from renewable plant, animal, marine, or forestry materials," she said. "From bioplastics to plant-based cleaners, from industrial lubricants and construction products to personal care items, this ever-growing list of biobased products helps create jobs in rural communities by adding value to agricultural commodities and can reduce our dependence on imported oil."
Besides DuPont, companies with certified products include Nutek Green, a division of Hoover, Inc., (Glenwillow, Ohio); Seventh Generation (Burlington, Vt.); Betco Corp. (Toledo, Ohio); Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. (Elk Grove Village, Ill.); ElastiKote (Akron, Ohio); Green Earth Technologies (Celebration, Fla.); National Industries for the Blind Agencies (Lighthouse for the Blind, St. Louis, Mo. and Travis Association for the Blind, Austin, Texas); NatureWorks LLC (Minnetonka, Minn.); Rochester Midland Corporation (Rochester, N.Y.); and Bio-Lub Canada (Quebec, Canada).