USDA Certified Biobased Product Label

Material origin

Independent laboratory testing to ASTM D6866 (radiocarbon analysis) verified the percentage of the product's carbon that comes from recent biological sources, and USDA certified the product to display that percentage, which must meet the minimum for its product category.

You might see it written as: USDA BioPreferred · USDA Certified Biobased Product · USDA Certified Biobased · BioPreferred Program · USDA Biobased Label

Issued by: US Department of Agriculture (BioPreferred Program)

This entry is in review — facts are authored but not yet verified against current issuer documentation.

What it proves

What it does not prove

Biodegradability or compostability — biobased carbon content says nothing about how the product breaks down.
A lower carbon footprint — biobased origin does not by itself prove lower lifecycle emissions.
That the product is 100% biobased — the label states a specific verified percentage, which can be as low as the category minimum.
Anything about how the biomass was grown or sourced (no farming, forestry, or land-use criteria).

Claims it can support

Claims Bio-Based Content →
medium risk

Evidence checklist

Minimum authority: Third-party verified
Should state: Certification Number · Biobased Content Percentage · Product Category · Certification Date
Date sensitivity: Expiry is not the primary issue; check scope and method instead.

Certification has no fixed expiry, but reformulation invalidates the tested percentage and USDA conducts periodic audits — confirm the certified formulation matches the shipping product.

Minimum required biobased content varies by product category; always read the actual percentage on the label, not just the mark.

Distinguish the certified label from mere BioPreferred catalog listing for federal procurement.

Source: USDA BioPreferred Program ↗