The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a voluntary product certification for biobased commercial and industrial products.
The first round of certification approvals went to goods from 11 companies, including cleaning and personal care items by Seventh Generation.
The “USDA Certified Biobased Product” label will designate products, other than food and feed, that derive a certain proportion of their materials from biological sources, such as plants.
According to the USDA, the purpose of the USDA BioPreferred® program is to promote the increased purchase and use of biobased products. The program is expected to promote economic development, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farm commodities.
A final rule initiating the labeling system is being published in today’s Federal Register.
