A new website (www.FromTheEarth-Bioproducts.com) was launched during the first annual Ohio Bioproducts Symposium on Feb. 18. The online resource is dedicated to help state agencies and institutions of higher learning research and locate USDA BioPreferred-designated bioproducts manufactured and distributed in Ohio, making it the first state in the country to create such a website devoted exclusively to bioproduct research.

According to Tadd Nicholson, director of government and industry affairs for Ohio’s corn and small grains marketing programs—two check-off programs that helped fund the online resource—the website was created in response to legislation that was signed into law in February (SB 131) requiring instate entities, colleges and universities to give purchasing preferences to biobased products when they are comparable in price, performance and availability. The From The Earth website is expected to help streamline search options when locating products made from Ohio-grown corn, soybeans and wheat, Nicholson said.

“We also have the ability to expand the website as more Ohio bioproducts get put on there,” Nicholson told Biorefining Magazine. “Although the website is designed for state agencies and universities, consumers can also use the site to locate bioproducts as well.”

From The Earth’s list of USDA BioPreferred-designated products include items for industries including cafeteria and food service, construction and maintenance, furniture and furnishings, housewares and cleaning, industrial supplies, landscaping and agriculture, office supplies, personal care and toiletries, utilities and more.

Although the From The Earth website highlights corn, wheat and soybeans, Nicholson said that the online resource isn’t devoted exclusively to products manufactured from those materials.

“If you go on the website today and you see that it’s pretty heavy on corn, soybeans and wheat items, that’s because those are our starting point,” he said. “We’ll be building from there and add more products on a regular basis that are made from other biobased sources.”

Nicholson said that he expects other states in the Midwest to adopt similar online resource tools like From The Earth to help give bioproduct manufacturing companies exposure.

“If a similar legislation were to be passed in another state, we would be happy to work with those states to expand the offering on From The Earth to allow this tool to be used to make the law successful in other states as well,” Nicholson said. “If this can be viewed as a market spur for those industries to help those companies grow and add jobs, it could be a very positive thing that spreads throughout the country.”

Companies may submit their bioproducts to be listed at the From The Earth website, however, all products must first be a BioPreferred-designated product. To submit bioproducts for approval by the USDA BioPreferred Program, visit www.biopreferred.gov. To learn more about From The Earth, visit www.FromTheEarth-Bioproducts.com.

“If there’s a bioproduct company out there that’s not familiar with the BioPreferred Program and would like to be listed on the federal site, the From The Earth site will help them get connected to the federal government to become listed so they can participate in the BioPreferred Program,” Nicholson said. “Once they’re on that list, we can put them on the From The Earth website.”