BioPreferred^SM

NEW 2008 USDA BioPreferred Showcase

Welcome to the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) internal BioPreferred Web site. This Web site was created specifically to outline Departmental BioPreferred regulations and policies.

Please visit the Federal BioPreferred^SM Web site for information applicable to all Federal Government Agencies.

USDA's Departmental Administration Office of Procurement and Property Management is charged with the development and implementation of a procurement preference program that will increase the procurement and use of biobased products

What Is BioPreferred^SM?

BioPreferred was created by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA) to increase the procurement and use of biobased products by establishing:

1. A procurement preference program for Federal agencies and their contractors, and
2. A labeling program to enable the marketing of biobased products.

What Are BioPreferred^SM Products?

As determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, biobased products are commercial or industrial products (other than food or feed) composed wholly or in significant part of biological products including renewable agricultural materials (plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials.

Making a difference with Biobased Products

The products you purchase have an impact on your day-to-day operations, but the impact goes beyond the local level. The choices we make in our procurement can have an impact on our country’s energy security, economy, and environment. BioPreferred^SM makes it easy for you to make a difference by identifying biobased products for your purchase.

USDA is identifying biobased items, or generic groupings of biobased products, that require procurement preference by Federal agencies. Aside from designating items, USDA specifies minimum biobased content and provides information on technical, health, and environmental characteristics of products that fall under a designated item.