Sponsors (4)
Creates new bioproduct definitions and labeling rules, requires annual increases in federal biobased procurement, establishes a USDA Biobased Task Force, and tightens reporting and enforcement.
Official title: Amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to improve the biobased markets program, and for other purposes.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Elissa Slotkin · Last progress August 1, 2025
The bill seeks to expand markets, job growth, consumer labeling clarity, and environmental benefits by promoting and prioritizing biobased products, but does so at the cost of higher near‑term taxpayer and compliance costs, administrative burdens, and risks of favoring larger producers over smaller suppliers or specialty farmers.
Farmers and rural communities gain new, sustained markets as federal promotion and year‑over‑year procurement increase demand for biobased and bio-attributed agricultural, forestry, and animal-derived materials.
Small and domestic manufacturers (including government contractors) see expanded sales and market growth because clearer definitions, federal purchasing preferences, outreach, and procurement updates make biobased products easier to market and buy.
Rural economic development and jobs are supported as USDA coordination, Rural Development efforts, and federal purchases strengthen rural manufacturing and agriculture‑linked industries.
Taxpayers and federal budgets may face higher costs because mandated procurement preferences and potential price premiums for biobased products can increase short‑term government spending.
Small suppliers, specialty farmers, and non‑biobased manufacturers risk being disadvantaged as programs and promotion may favor large commodity producers and bigger firms that can meet verification and scale requirements.
USDA and other federal agencies face increased administrative burdens and may need new capacity, potentially diverting staff time and resources from other priorities.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Creates new statutory definitions and labeling rules for bioproducts, requires federal agencies to increase and better track procurement of biobased products, establishes a USDA Biobased Task Force to coordinate research/promotion, and adds enforcement/confidentiality rules for bioproduct labeling. It expands USDA responsibilities for guidance, verification, training, and annual reporting tied to federal purchasing goals and allows USDA (with EPA consultation) to adopt alternate labeling definitions. Aimed at growing domestic biomanufacturing and rural economies, the bill updates the Title IX biobased program glossary, mandates yearly increases in biobased procurement targets (with a narrower price-exemption tied to a defined "price premium"), and directs USDA to study and recommend program improvements while exempting the task force from the Federal Advisory Committee Act for a limited time.