USDA BioPreferred Voluntary Labeling Program

• USDA BioPreferred Voluntary Labeling Program is expected to be finalized by mid 2010
• The program, applicable to both domestic and imported products, requires ASTM D6866 certification from an ISO 9001 conformant laboratory.
• Beta Analytic, an ISO 9001 conformant lab that has contributed to the development of ASTM D6866, provides biobased content testing.
• ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic is not affiliated with the USDA BioPreferred Program.

The Voluntary Labeling Program (which is still in draft phase) aims to aid consumers in identifying commercially available biobased products. Under this program, successful applicants (manufacturers and vendors) can use a distinctive USDA label on their goods and marketing materials as long as their products meet the BioPreferred program’s requirements. The minimum biobased content has been established under the USDA’s BioPreferred Federal Procurement Preference Program. Products that do not belong to designated items are still eligible if they are at least 51% biobased. The minimum biobased content for all items are subject to change. The USDA intends to increase the minimum biobased content over time as biobased product technologies advance.

ASTM Method D6866 Required

Other than product information, applicants are required to submit ASTM D6866 test results as evidence of the product’s biobased content and documentation of the testing lab’s ISO 9001 conformance. Applicants must also provide the USDA with the product’s brand names, contact information, and Web site URL (if available).

The USDA BioPreferred Label

The proposed BioPreferred label consists of a logo (leaf), the phrase "USDA Certified Biobased Product,” and a statement indicating the biobased content of the product (content and container, if applicable). The letters "FP" will be added on labels of products that are also part of the Federal Procurement Preference Program. Text on the label must only be in English even for products sold outside the U.S.

The Voluntary Labeling Program is also applicable to products imported for sale in the U.S. as long as they meet the same criteria as U.S.-sourced biobased products. Even if they are considered to be biobased in their countries of origin, these imported products will carry the label only if they meet specific USDA criteria.

There is no specified deadline for application submissions. Applications to the Voluntary Labeling Program are evaluated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Companies can only use the label on the biobased product identified in their application when they receive the notice of certification from the USDA. Rejected applicants can submit revised applications for reconsideration.

Certification remains valid only if the certified product complies with the required minimum biobased content. If the USDA revises the required minimum levels, the certified product must meet the new requirement to continue using the label.

Source: Voluntary Labeling Program for Biobased Products (Proposed Rules), Federal Register Vol. 74 No. 146

USDA Minimum Biobased Content

The following is a list of the USDA's designated items and their required minimum biobased content as of January 2010. Click here to view the entire list and the item descriptions in the BioPreferred Web site.

BioPreferred Product Categories as of June 2010

BioPreferred’s Two Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has two systems under its BioPreferred Program—a procurement program for federal agencies and a voluntary labeling program for consumer marketing purposes. Created by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) and expanded by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill), the BioPreferred Program aims to increase consumption of biobased products in the United States.

Beta Analytic: The Leader in ASTM Method D6866

Beta Analytic joined the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) Subcommittee D20.96 as co-author of ASTM D6866 for biobased content analysis. The standard, adopted in July 2004, is an industrial application of radiocarbon dating. ASTM D6866-04, ASTM D6866-04a, ASTM D6866-05, ASTM D6866-06, ASTM D6866-06a, and ASTM D6866-08 are older versions of the standard. The current active version is ASTM D6866-10. The method is mentioned in the USDA BioPreferred Program as "ASTM Method D6866" and "ASTM radioisotope test D6866."

The Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) at Iowa State University of Science and Technology, with the USDA at the helm, help established the required minimum biobased content for the BioPreferred Program. By June 2004, Beta Analytic has analyzed more than 200 biobased products for CIRAS and delivered the results within 1-3 weeks. ISO 9001 conformant Beta Analytic has proven to be a reliable service provider over the years.

Beta Analytic provides biobased content testing. The company is not affiliated with the USDA BioPreferred Program.

Related Topics

USDA Federal Procurement Preference Program

ASTM Method D6866