WASHINGTON, May 1, 2012- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the publication in the Federal Register of new proposed guidelines for the USDA BioPreferred program. USDA is proposing to allow for the designation of intermediate ingredients such as fibers, resins, and chemicals so that the products made from them could more easily be designated for preferred Federal procurement.
Vilsack said the new guidelines could expand the ability of USDA to designate biobased products for Federal purchase.
The new regulation also allows for the designation of complex assemblies that contain one or more components made from biobased ingredients. USDA said these provisions are necessary because such finished products cannot be tested for biobased content using the procedures spelled out in the existing guidelines.
USDA is also proposing to revise some of the definitions and terminology used in the existing guidelines to clarify the operating procedures. Vilsack said these actions will incorporate statutory changes to the 2008 Farm Bill and will make improvements to the existing guidelines based on ten years of operating experience.
The proposed regulation can be read here.
#30
For more news, go to www.agri-pulse.com