Along with releasing a report on the size of the biobased industry, the Agriculture Department said it will increase the number of items that carry the USDA Biopreferred label. The decision will include more forest products that qualify for the label. The current rule excludes products that had a significant market share before 1972. The Biopreferred program was created in 2002 and gives a preference to bioproducts when federal agencies shop for goods.
In addition, the USDA said it will publish a regulation next week that revamps a $200 million loan-guarantee program originally aimed at construction and retrofitting of commercial-size biorefineries. The regulation removes a requirement that the majority of production at a plant be an “advanced” biofuel. Instead, plants can produce more renewable chemicals and other biobased products. The change in rules reflects the new name for the program, the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program.