BioPreferred Program

What is BioPreferred?

The goal of the USDA BioPreferred program is to increase purchase of biobased products. The program includes mandatory purchasing requirements for federal agencies and federal contractors and a voluntary labeling initiative for biobased products. From meager beginnings and just five product categories, the program has expanded to include 97 product categories which cover approximately 14,000 products.  The program has been successful in its aim to “spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities.” As of 2013, the biobased products industry contributed $369 billion to the U.S. economy and employed four million workers.

To learn more about the BioPreferred program, click here to visit their website. There are many items on this website to help federal managers achieve the procurement goal set for by EO 13693, including acquisition tools such as a sample vendor letter, contract templates, and examples of model contracts. 


Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on biobased products and the BioPreferred Program.


Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of Sustainability at GW, interviews Dr. Gregory Parham, USDA Assistant Secretary of Administration on the BioPreferred Program.