Lubriplate Bio-Based Series Hydraulic Oils and Lubriplate Biodegradable Penetrating Oil were recently renewed as “USDA Certified Biobased” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Biobased products are derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine and forestry materials and provide an alternative to conventional petroleum-derived products.

The bio-based contents of these Lubriplate products were third-party tested at an independent laboratory and will continue to display the “USDA Certified Biobased” product label.

In addition, these products will continue to be listed in the USDA BioPreferred Program Catalog, which assists users in identifying products that qualify for mandatory federal purchasing.

Managed by the USDA, the goal of the BioPreferred program is to increase the purchase and use of bio-based products. The BioPreferred program was created by the 2002 Farm Bill and reauthorized and expanded as part of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). The program’s purpose is to spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities.

The two major parts of the program are:

• Mandatory purchasing requirements for federal agencies and their contractors; and,
• A voluntary labeling initiative for bio-based products.