USDA Biopreferred^SM Program

The USDA BioPreferred^SM Program, a biobased products procurement program, requires federal government agencies to give purchasing preferences to businesses that provide products composed totally, or in large part, of renewable domestic, agricultural or forestry materials.

Established from the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (FSRIA) of 2002, the program requirements state that all federal agencies must give preference to biobased products that have been designated by the program unless:

• the product is not reasonably available

• the product fails to meet performance standards for the application intended

• the product is available at an unreasonable price.

Currently 170 items are classified within the designated categories as approved for purchase, ranging from hydraulic fluids to hand cleaners to clothing and containers. ''Congress created this program to spur demand growth for new biobased products, grow domestic demand for agricultural commodities, and encourage development of processing and manufacturing in rural communities,'' states Dr. Marvin Duncan, Senior Agricultural Economist in the Office of Energy Policy and New Uses within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Contact the Northwest Ohio Green Products Center for more information on this program. We also have a brochure that you may download here.

You may also read about the USDA BioPreferred^SMBiobased Products Procurement Program Session hosted by the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) on February 26, 2007.

What local business leaders are saying about the BioPreferred Program...

''Your conference was an excellent opportunity to learn about products and technology that we may have an interest in pursuing. Anything we can do to promote locally-owned businesses in Ohio is positive for all of us.''

Charlie Carr
The Andersons, Inc.

''Your program was very helpful for not only those who have a biobased product, but also those who are looking at future biobased opportunities.''

John Schauff
Spartan Chemical Co.

The U.S. goverment is the world's largest buyer of goods and services...

''Purchases by the military and civilian installations amount to nearly $400 billion a year. In 2006, USDA procured $4.8 million of that amount.''

Todd Repass
U.S. Department of Agriculture