Senator Cafaro Helps Kick off Bioproduct Challenge

Senator Capri S. Cafaro (D-Hubbard) joined the Ohio Soybean Council today to kick off the SoyInside Bioproduct Challenge. Senator Cafaro is a joint sponsor of Senate Bill 131, a bill recently signed into law to establish a bioproduct purchasing program for state agencies and universities.

“I applaud the efforts of the Ohio Soybean Council. This challenge will give bioproducts a chance to shine as viable alternatives to petroleum-based products,” said Senator Cafaro. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to raise consumer awareness.”

The 150 homes and businesses throughout Ohio participating in the SoyInside Bioproduct Challenge will receive a kit containing numerous products derived from soybeans and other agricultural sources. The kit includes degreasers, cleaners, wipes and home care products like lotions and anti-bacterial hand sanitizers. Many of these products replace commonly used items manufactured for petroleum or other chemicals.

“I believe bio-based products represent a tremendous opportunity for job growth in Ohio,” said Senator Cafaro. “Plus, it gives our farmers a new market for the crops they produce.”

In February, Governor Strickland signed Senate Bill 131 into law. Jointly sponsored by Senators Capri Cafaro and Karen Gillmor (R-Tiffin), SB 131 encourages the use of bio-based products by state entities. The bill requires the Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to establish a program that gives purchasing preference to bio-based products. In order to qualify for this program, the bio-based products must be comparable in cost and quality to traditional petroleum-based products.

The Ohio Soybean Council is based in Worthington, Ohio, and is governed by a 17-member volunteer farmer board, which directs the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. The program’s primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development projects using the investment of farmer-contributed funds.