USDA employees and members of the public in Columbus, Ohio had the chance to hear Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan speak recently at the Columbus Federal Building as part of her one-day tour of the Buckeye state.
Merrigan’s first stop in the morning was at the Hoover plant in Glenwillow where she announced the USDA BioPreferred certifications bestowed on eleven new bio-based product initiatives. The products, which range from hand soaps to engine oils, are composed of agricultural ingredients and are certified to meet the standards for biobased content set by USDA.
"When consumers see the BioPreferred label in a store, they'll know that the product or its packaging is made from renewable plant, animal, marine or forestry materials," said Merrigan. She added that biobased products add value to commodities, create jobs in rural communities and increases U.S. energy independence.
The Deputy Secretary continued her presentation at Wilmington College’s Food Symposium where she reiterated the benefits of the “Know Your Farmer Know Your Food” campaign. During her Ohio travels she was accompanied by Ohio FSA State Executive Director Steve Maurer, NRCS State Conservationist Terry Cosby and Rural Development State Director Tony Logan.
To find out more about the BioPreferred program click here.
