BioPreferred®

1. Determine product eligibility: Confirm your product is a commercial or industrial biobased product (not food, animal feed, or fuel) and identify which of the 143 USDA-designated product categories it falls under, along with the minimum biobased content threshold for that category.

1. Review minimum biobased content requirements: Visit the USDA BioPreferred portal to look up the specific minimum biobased content percentage required for your product's category. Requirements vary by category.

1. Select an accredited laboratory: Choose a third-party laboratory accredited to perform ASTM D6866 radiocarbon/isotope ratio analysis. This test measures the ratio of new organic carbon (biobased) to total organic carbon in your product.

1. Submit product for testing: Send a representative sample of your product to the accredited lab. The lab will conduct ASTM D6866 testing and provide an official test report with the measured biobased content percentage.

1. Create an account and apply via the BioPreferred portal: Register at the USDA BioPreferred online portal (biopreferred.gov), complete the product application form, and upload your lab test results, product formulation details, and supporting documentation.

1. Pay the application fee: Submit the required certification fee (starting around $500) as part of your application. Fee amounts may vary based on product type and number of products.

1. Await USDA review: USDA staff will review your submission for completeness and verify that your product meets the minimum biobased content threshold for its category. This review process typically takes several weeks.

1. Receive certification and use the label: Upon approval, you will receive authorization to use the USDA Certified Biobased Product label on your product packaging and marketing materials. Renew annually by confirming no formulation changes and paying the renewal fee.

The BioPreferred certification process evaluates a single core performance metric: the biobased content of the product, measured as the percentage of new (renewable) organic carbon relative to total organic carbon. This is determined exclusively through ASTM D6866 radiocarbon analysis (also known as isotope ratio analysis), conducted by an accredited third-party laboratory. Because petroleum-derived carbon is ancient and contains no carbon-14, while biobased carbon from living plants retains carbon-14, the test can precisely distinguish biobased from fossil-derived content.

Each of the 143 designated product categories has a specific minimum biobased content threshold that a product must meet or exceed to qualify for certification. For example, categories such as cleaners, lubricants, paints, and bioplastics each carry their own thresholds, which USDA has established based on market analysis and available technology. Products must meet or exceed their category's minimum to earn the label, and the certified biobased content percentage is displayed directly on the product label, allowing consumers to compare products within the same category.

In addition to the laboratory test results, USDA reviewers assess the completeness and accuracy of the product application documentation, including product formulation details and consistency between the submitted formula and the tested sample. There is no audit of manufacturing facilities or supply chain practices — the certification is strictly a content-based, laboratory-verified standard. Products that change formulation after certification must be retested to confirm continued compliance.

The USDA BioPreferred Program is the dominant government-backed biobased product certification in the United States, with over 15,000 certified products across 143 designated categories as of the mid-2020s. Its market position is uniquely reinforced by federal law: the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Presidential Executive Orders require all federal agencies and their contractors to purchase biobased products in USDA-designated categories, making BioPreferred certification effectively a prerequisite for selling into the federal procurement market. This mandatory purchasing requirement, covering the entire U.S. federal government — the world's largest single purchaser of goods and services — gives BioPreferred a market access advantage that no voluntary eco-label can replicate.

In the broader sustainable products landscape, BioPreferred competes with certifications like EPA Safer Choice, Green Seal, and EcoLogo, but occupies a distinct niche: it focuses exclusively on biobased content rather than holistic environmental or health performance. This means a product can be BioPreferred certified without meeting broader sustainability criteria, which some critics note as a limitation. However, for manufacturers whose primary differentiator is renewable material sourcing, BioPreferred is the most credible and widely recognized U.S. standard. The program has grown substantially since its 2002 Farm Bill origins, with the 2018 Farm Bill reauthorization expanding its scope and strengthening mandatory purchasing requirements.

Demand for BioPreferred certification is growing alongside broader trends in sustainable procurement, circular economy policy, and corporate ESG commitments. Retailers such as Walmart and Home Depot have incorporated biobased product preferences into their sustainability programs, extending the label's relevance beyond federal markets. However, international recognition remains limited — the label is primarily a U.S. market tool, and manufacturers targeting European or Asian markets may need to pursue complementary certifications such as the European EN 16785 biobased content standard.

The BioPreferred Program was established by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (commonly known as the 2002 Farm Bill), which directed the USDA to develop a program to promote the purchase and use of biobased products. The program was created in response to growing concerns about U.S. dependence on petroleum, a desire to create new markets for domestic agricultural commodities, and early momentum in the biobased materials industry. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) was tasked with administering the program, including developing product category designations and minimum biobased content requirements.

The voluntary labeling initiative — the USDA Certified Biobased Product label — was launched in 2011, giving manufacturers a way to communicate their products' biobased content to consumers and procurement officers. The program was significantly reauthorized and expanded under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill), which strengthened mandatory federal purchasing requirements, expanded the number of designated product categories, and increased resources for program promotion. By the mid-2020s, the program had grown to encompass over 15,000 certified products across 143 designated categories, making it one of the largest product certification programs administered by the U.S. federal government.