Initiatives such as the BioPreferred program, managed by the USDA, can help to encourage the increasing growth and use of biobased products. In two parts, the BioPreferred program has both a voluntary labelling initiative for biobased products, and mandatory purchasing requirements for federal agencies and their contractors. Appropriate labelling is an important part of developing the bioeconomy industry – reliability and clear communication enable both businesses and consumers to make informed choices. In this case, the USDA Certified Biobased Product label displays a product’s biobased content, and Godavari Biorefineries has recently earned that label for its product Acetic Acid Glacial. In addition, on 5th July the USDA announced that they would be amending the guidelines for federal procurement of biobased products. To qualify for preferred procurement, a product must be within one of 30 product categories and contain at least the minimum biobased content for that category. Fermentation processes are increasingly offering new routes to the industrial manufacture of biobased chemicals.
