Biobased Products See New Opportunity in USDA Label


Soy-based products continue to gain popularity in the adhesives and sealants industry, as more companies make an effort to produce “greener” products. That’s why you’re reading the first in a quarterly series of blogs written by the United Soybean Board (USB) on ASI’s Green microsite.

Through a checkoff investment from U.S. soybean farmers, USB funds research, development and commercialization of new industrial uses for soybeans. The group seeks to increase demand for soybeans through advancements in soy-based research and technology. USB also works with other groups to promote soy-based products, and monitors emerging issues and developments. One development that holds a lot of promise for soy-based products—and the adhesives and sealants industry—is a proposed voluntary biobased-products label from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) BioPreferred program.

According to USB research, 57% of consumers would be influenced to buy a biobased product if it had a label indicating it was biobased. That’s exactly what BioPreferred is proposing. The labeling program guidelines will be set by the USDA based on feedback they have received on the proposed rule published in the Federal Register last July. Manufacturers of biobased products will be able to use this label to differentiate their products from products using materials such as petrochemicals. For more information on the proposed rule, visit www.biopreferred.org.

According to BioPreferred, more than 19,000 biobased products are commercially available today. Many of these products contain soy and are compiled in USB’s Soy Products Guide. USB continually updates the listing of more than 1000 soy-based products, which can be found here. If you have a product you would like to include in the Soy Products Guide, send the product information to ckrull@unitedsoybean.org.