Personal care products eligible for Federal procurement preference

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it has proposed to add 12 biobased product categories to become eligible for Federal procurement preference.

The proposal is in line with President Barack Obama’s plan to increase the purchase of biobased products over next two years to help create jobs and drive innovation.

USDA agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said that once the proposed rule is finalised, these 12 categories will help offer 2,300 additional biobased products for preferred purchasing consideration by all Federal government agencies and contractors.

The proposed rule for preferred Federal procurement includes deodorants; lotions and moisturisers; shaving products; and sun care products amongst others.

According to USDA, biobased products include biological ingredients such as renewable plant, animal, marine and forestry materials, while a BioPreferred designated item is said to meet or exceed USDA-established minimum biobased content requirements.

BioPreferred includes a preferred procurement program for Federal agencies and a voluntary labelling programme for the broad scale marketing of biobased products that are under development.

The agency said that creation of new market for agricultural products through biobased manufacturing is one of the steps the administration has taken up over the last three years to strengthen the rural economy.

The White House Rural Council, since August 2011, has claimed to have supported a wide range of rural initiatives that include a President memorandum to create jobs in rural America through biobased and sustainable product procurement along with investments in rural economy.