What are Biobased Products?
The term "biobased product" means a product determined by the USDA to be a commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that is-
- (A) composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products, including renewable domestic agricultural materials, renewable chemicals, and forestry materials; or
- (B) an intermediate ingredient or feedstock.
Biobased products are derived from raw materials such as plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials. Biobased products generally provide an alternative to conventional petroleum derived products and include a diverse range of offerings such as lubricants, detergents, inks, fertilizers, and bioplastics. Biobased products do not include food, feed, or fuel.
This document provides more information about biobased content and how it is determined. Products participating in the BioPreferred® Program have their biobased content measured using ASTM D6866 as part of the certification process.
USDA has identified minimum biobased content requirements for hundreds of categories of biobased products. Many USDA Certified Biobased Products are listed in the BioPreferred Program Catalog.