On July 24, 2023, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act to strengthen the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) BioPreferred program. According to Klobuchar’s July 24, 2023, press release, the bill would:
- Strengthen markets for farmers while also supporting well-paying manufacturing jobs;
- Allow the Secretary of Agriculture to set acceptable price premiums under the program;
- Require each federal agency to increase their procurement of biobased-only contracts or biobased volume purchased under those contracts; and
- Improve reporting of biobased products that are purchased through online federal procurement systems.
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