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USDA Certification raises bar for biobased

The scientific rigor of ASTM combined with the credibility of the USDA raises the bar for industry and makes the USDA Certified Biobased label a new source of competitive advantage.

Chart: J. Ottman Consulting, Inc.
Chart: J. Ottman Consulting, Inc.

With carbon footprinting and energy independence on everyone’s minds, many marketers are looking to capitalize upon their product’s biobased content. But not all biobased claims are alike. The scientific rigor of an ASTM standard combined with the credibility of the USDA raises the bar for the industry and makes the USDA Certified Biobased label a new source of competitive advantage within the consumer and government procurement markets for brand owners who make the effort to get their biobased products certified.

What is ‘biobased’? 

There is no Webster’s definition of biobased. So, marketers have tended to define it loosely or link it to perceptions of biobased as anything biological, living, natural, renewable, or even biodegradable. Some do not reveal the amount of, or basis for, claiming biobased content, making comparisons difficult. This can even represent greenwashing, when biobased content levels are insignificant. Many questionable biobased claims have emerged, including several official-looking logos with no third-party backing. With more than 25,000 biobased products on the market, clearly there’s a need to clear up the confusion.

The USDA Certified Biobased label, introduced in February 2011, helps to level the market for biobased claims by providing a clear definition and an internationally recognized test standard backed up by the credibility of the USDA. The label has already certified 500 products, with applications in the pipeline for at least 400 more. (See our previous column for more detail.)

Not just any biologically derived product or package can qualify for the label. Certified products must meet three key criteria:

• They must meet the definition of biobased as written into the 2008 Farm Bill

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