USDA Announces BioPreferred Labeling Program

(EcoFactory)

The United States Department of Agriculture announced a new program to draw attention to eco-minded consumer products: BioPreferred. Products included in this program would be allowed to use special labeling that highlights a product’s partial or complete inclusion of natural ingredients. This program, created in 2002 and expanded in 2008, recently began promoting the program through social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, and various green blogs.

The program has drawn a certain level of criticism, and environmentalist publications like Treehugger have raised concern about domestic favoritism, and the true value of products certified as BioPreferred. According to the USDA, the purpose of the program is to increase the growth of agriculture in the United States and to benefit rural communities. In a proposed version of the bill, government purchases may be regulated to be BioPreferred when possible, raising concerns that the voluntary program may become mandatory for any company that wishes to do business with public projects.

Despite the program only being publicized recently, there are already over 10,000 products in the BioPreferred catalog, and an open application to have new products listed. Learn more about the program on the BioPreferred program website.