NCGA
Encourages Manufacturers to Participate in Biobased Procurement
Program (5-13-04)
Corn-based product
manufacturers who wish to participate in the Federal Biobased Products
Preferred Procurement Program (FB4P) are being asked to submit product
information to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). As a longtime
proponent of new uses and markets for corn, the National Corn Growers
Association (NCGA) is encouraging qualified manufacturers to participate
in the program.
FB4P will require federal
agencies to give preferential treatment to biobased products in the
purchasing process. Agencies will be required to purchase biobased
products in lieu of comparable products derived from other sources.
Clark Gerstacker, vice chair of NCGA’s Research and Business
Development Action Team, said the program could help expand the corn-based
products market and increase public awareness about biobased consumer
items.
“When you have new,
cutting-edge technologies, it sometimes takes a little something extra
to increase the public’s interest level, and that’s where
we see the biggest benefit of this program,” Gerstacker said.
“In the long run, we don’t want the bioproducts industry
to have to rely on incentives and mandates, but for now, this program
should help to expose more consumers to the environmental benefits
of biobased items.”
Approximately 300 manufacturers
have already been identified as potential participants, according
to USDA. With help from the Iowa State University Center for Industrial
Research and Service (CIRAS), USDA has established a web site that
allows manufacturers to download the product information sheet and
return it directly to CIRAS.
Before being declared eligible
for the program, all products will undergo a series of tests at Iowa
State University to determine the percentage of biobased content.
To qualify, products must be composed in whole or in significant part
of biological products, renewable domestic agriculture materials or
forestry materials.
Already, nearly 600 commercial
and industrial items contain corn, Gerstacker said, and as production
technology improves and consumer acceptance increases, that list will
surely grow. “The bioproducts we’re seeing now are on
par with any other products on the market and the cost competitiveness
is very close,” he said.
To view a list of commercial
and industrial bioproducts derived from corn, check out the NCGA
Corn-Based Products Guide.
For more information on
FB4P or to download a product information sheet, go to www.biobased.oce.usda.gov.