USDA Receives "Closing the Circle" Award for Environmental Stewardship

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2008 -- At a White House ceremony today, USDA received the "Closing the Circle" Award from the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, part of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. USDA was recognized for its leadership in buying and promoting biobased products -- industrial products made from agricultural materials.

"USDA led by example this past year," said Assistant Secretary Boyd Rutherford. "Leadership was shown in securing green services and products, by institutionalizing this process through rules, regulations, guidelines, and by outreach programs through the Department's Sustainable Operations Council."

"We also instituted a new marketing concept to promote the mandatory Federal procurement of biobased products called 'BioPreferred,'" Rutherford said.

USDA recently updated its Acquisition Regulation to require that all service contracts include provisions for using biobased products. The Agency is also establishing a Tracking and Reporting system for green products to support its plans to dramatically increase green purchasing in the next half decade.

The Closing the Circle Awards recognize individuals, teams, and organizations that go the "extra mile" to promote sustainable environmental stewardship throughout the Federal government and encourage agencies to integrate environmental considerations into their operations.

For more information, contact Shana Love, Special Assistant, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration, 202-205-4008 or Shana.Love@usda.gov or visit www.greening.usda.gov.

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