USB Builds Big Apple's Biobased Momentum
Battery Park City Authority’s Ball Field in New York City contains soy polyols which displace traditional petroleum-based polyols on a one-to-one exchange
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden spoke by phone from Washington, D.C. to biobased manufacturers as well as federal and state government officials at USB's Biobased Products Stakeholders' Workshop. "Country & City Connect for Sustainability: Bringing the Benefits of Biobased to the New York Region" is the theme of the program held in New York City.
"American-grown soybeans are delivering environmental and energy security benefits to the tri-state New York area," said Sharon Covert, an Illinois farmer and USB Customer Focus Action Team chair. "More than 8,000 New York diesel vehicles run on cleaner-burning biodiesel blends and Bioheat® warms buildings, resulting in lowered greenhouse gas emissions.
"The region's success with biodiesel is complimented by other exciting uses of biobased products. Soy-backing is in the turf on rooftops like the Old New York Times office building, Battery Park and other sports fields, as well as carpet at New York's first restaurant to earn LEED-Gold status," Covert said. "Barnes and Noble customers benefit from wood ceilings made with a soy-based adhesive that does not contain formaldehyde. A white soy-based roof offers energy benefits to the historic building that is home to the U.S. Government Services Administration in Lower Manhattan."
The keynote speaker, USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, described the intersection between the USDA BioPreferred® Program and biobased procurement opportunities in the region.
Through the Federal BioPreferred® program, the USDA designates categories of biobased products for a federal procurement preference. In the process, minimum biobased content standards are established for each product category. Currently, USDA has 97 BioPreferred®-designated product categories required for preferred federal purchasing. For more information about the Federal BioPreferred program, and the program's voluntary biobased product certification and labeling initiative, please visit www.biopreferred.gov.
The total number of soybeans planted in the United States is roughly 400 times the size of New York City. Soy is one of the leading ingredients in biobased products, ranging from a wide-range of cleaners, to foam cushioning, to paint, to carpet backing and many others. USB's web site -- www.soybiobased.org -- offers detailed information about hundreds of soy-based products that are available today.
The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.
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ABOUT SOY BIOBASED
George Washington Carver and Henry Ford helped pioneer biobased products in America. Today, U.S. companies offer hundreds of biobased products made from soybeans grown in the United States. Furniture and carpet backing, cleaning supplies, industrial solvents, transformer oils and energy efficient roofing materials are just of few of the many. Find products and examples of who uses them at www.soybiobased.org.
Karen Edwards
KCE Public Affairs
703-625-8230
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