Program Manager Ron Buckhalt to Present at Biopolymers Symposium

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's BioPreferred program (USDA BioPreferred) promotes the purchase and use of biobased products. The program includes a new USDA Certified Biobased Label that verifies the amount of renewable biological ingredients in a product or package.

USDA BioPreferred Program Manager Ron Buckhalt will be presenting Labels for Biopolymers and What They Mean for the Industry at 1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. on September 27 during the Biopolymers Symposium afternoon session. Buckhalt also will act as moderator during the Advancing Sustainable Innovations Through the Use of Renewable Materials afternoon session on September 28 at 1:45 p.m. -2:35 p.m. Please attend and learn more about how USDA BioPreferred's new certification opportunities differentiate sustainable plastics.

Read on to learn Buckhalt's thoughts on what can be gained from his presentations and what he hopes to learn at the conference.

Q: Why is USDA BioPreferred important to the biopolymers industry?

A: USDA BioPreferred assists in market creation and stimulation. Over the years, I have seen the Biopolymers Symposium grow substantially as a result of the industries surrounding the event growing substantially. The biopolymers industry is beginning to be a major player and continues to be one of the fastest growing sections of the overall plastics industry. The USDA Certified Biobased Label assures the consumer that a product or package contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients. This consumer-facing label will help the biopolymers industry verify industry claims and educate consumers about its products.

Q: Who should attend your presentations? What information will be gained?

A: Any manufacturer interested in applying for the new USDA Certified Biobased Label should attend the presentations. I'm excited to get this information out to manufacturers and help them understand the benefits and credibility of the USDA Certified Biobased Label. I also welcome any feedback on the USDA BioPreferred program from industry leaders that work first-hand in the development of biobased plastics. If you are unable to attend, I encourage you to go to our website at www.biopreferred.gov for more information.

Q: What do you want to learn at the Biopolymers Symposium?

A: I am looking forward to gaining insight and guidance from the leaders in the biopolymers industry. I hope to learn more about future business strategy and how USDA BioPreferred can help educate consumers about biobased products. The biopolymers industry is young with an exciting future. USDA played a role in the initial research in developing these new technologies and continues to help develop new markets within this sector.

Ron Buckhalt, USDA BioPreferred Program Manager
Ron Buckhalt manages USDA's BioPreferred program, a mandatory Federal procurement program requiring all Federal agencies to buy and use biobased products designated by USDA. In 2011 the program launched a voluntary consumer label, "USDA Certified Biobased Product." Ron has over 40 years of communications and public policy experience, having worked as a Congressional Press Secretary, executive branch political appointee, public relations executive, communications consultant, lobbyist, radio and television newscaster, and video producer. As CEO of his own consulting firm, he provided legislative, public relations, educational, and management services to many small business clients and the Federal government. For the last 18 years, he has been a USDA advocate for biobased industrial products. He earned a degree in journalism from Auburn University in 1969.