Harkin Kicks Off Pentagon Bio-Based Product Showcase
HARKIN KICKS OFF PENTAGON BIO-BASED PRODUCT SHOWCASE
Two-day event brings together bio-based product manufacturers and Department of Defense procurement officials
WASHINGTON D.C. --- With the goal of educating U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) officials about the growing bio-based product industry and the benefits its products can offer the military, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) joined Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England in opening a two-day bio-based product showcase today at the Pentagon.
"What we saw is just the beginning of what we can produce using home-grown renewable resources from our farm and agricultural lands," Harkin said. "We have passed the stage of envisioning the bioeconomy. The businesses here today are building it. They are proving that we can buy bio' - and that is a winning formula for our country."
The showcase, titled "Bio-based Products - Enhancing DOD's Mission, Protecting the Environment," features 37 companies from around the country, including seven from Iowa, demonstrating a variety of environmentally-friendly products used regularly by the DOD, including bio-based building materials, insulation, industrial lubricants, degreasers, cleaning products, cafeteria serviceware and clothing products.
Following a successful bio-based showcase for Members of Congress and their staff in June 2005, Harkin pitched Pentagon representatives on the idea of hosting a similar event, considering the enormous purchasing power of the DOD and its ongoing efforts to institute more environmentally friendly operations.
While touring the product exhibits, Harkin pointed out a number of reasons the federal government should invest in biobased products. "They displace foreign oil, which increases our national security," Harkin said. "They are sustainable, which enhances environmental protection and public health. They create jobs, which boost the rural economy. They keep us on the cutting-edge of technological innovation, maintaining our competitive advantage in a global marketplace."
Harkin included a provision in the 2002 farm bill that requires federal agencies to purchase bio-based products specified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as long as those products are reasonable in price, performance, and availability. To date, hundreds of products have been listed.
http://harkin.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=262830