These terms probably sound familiar. Chances are you’ve heard them being used more and more these days by brands to describe their products. You may have even noticed the USDA Certified Biobased or Plant-based Product label that lives on many of their packages. But what do biobased and plant-based mean? And how and why are their quantities measured? Most importantly, what do these terms and numbers mean for you—the consumer? Well, let’s break it down for you.
Biobased products are those “derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials,”[1] as opposed to non-renewable materials, such as petroleum. So, when we say our products are plant-based, it means simply that plants are the primary biobased resource we used to make them.
The USDA BioPreferred Program was established by the 2002 Farm Bill. Its goal is to increase the number of renewable resources used by businesses and federal agencies and to create new jobs and economic growth by supporting new industries.[2] Additionally, the program is vital to our planet’s environmental health because “the increased development, purchase, and use of biobased products reduce our nation’s reliance on petroleum”[3] and further decreases our dependence on fossil fuels. With the effects of climate change becoming more visible every day, this program has never been more important than it is right now.
When you see the USDA Certified Biobased Product label on products, it means that they contain the listed percentage of biobased material, as officially certified by the USDA. As you’d expect, the higher that percentage, the higher the number of renewable materials sourced to make it. We’re also excited that now consumers can compare biobased labels to determine a product’s biobased content.