July 2009

Fresh Country Air

By Matt Reese

July 2009

My 21-month-old daughter gets into pretty much everything, particularly if it is filthy. Trash cans, barn floors, toilets, shower drains, dusty corners, algae filled fish ponds and mud all seem to hold an irresistible attraction for my daughter. And, during these warm summer days it is constant effort to try and keep her clean. With her fondness for filth, and general lack of utensil use, meal times could easily result in a horrifying Petri dish of filthy fingers and fondled food.
Because of this, regular hand washing is important in the Reese house, though washing a squirming child’s dirty hands in the sink each time she touches something dirty is very difficult. Thank goodness for a handy dandy new hand sanitizer made from soy protein and aloe. I got the sample-sized bottle of this fine product as a handout at some agricultural event and have found it to be very nice stuff. It works well and leaves hands clean and moisturized for even the busiest toddlers, and uses all natural, environmentally friendly products. The problem is that my sample is running low. How do I buy more?
This answer, and the answers to many bioproduct quandaries, can be found at www.biopreferred.gov. This section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Web site features a vast array of American made bioproducts (mostly produced from U.S. crops instead of petroleum products). The site includes information about where to buy the products, the contents of the products and performance data of everything from office supplies to landscaping options.
Those interested in purchasing bioproducts have more options than ever before. Just last year there were 28 new soy-based products introduced in the U.S., including foam for seats in many Ford vehicles. Corn and soybeans have also found their way into environmentally friendly t-shirts, fuels, many kinds of plastics and even material used for maintaining and repairing roads.
“Businesses, government offices, schools and all homeowners can incorporate at least some of the many soy-based product options that are already out there,” said Rocky Black, the Ohio Soybean Council director of bioproduct utilization and outreach. “Consumers are trying to find ways to be environmentally-friendly at home and work and to reduce their dependence on petroleum products. We want to make sure that they have every opportunity to do this with products that are made from soybeans.”
Since 1993, a partnership between the Ohio Soybean Council and Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus has resulted the development of a soy-based powder coating, a soy-based plasticizer, a soy-based toner and soy-based polyols that are used in a wide variety of applications including printer cartridges and coating for components of John Deere tractors. Ohio manufacturers are working on the commercialization of these and other bioproducts and, in doing so, are creating jobs, boosting Ohio’s economy and supporting Ohio farmers through this growing component of the agricultural industry.
“The bioproducts industry continues to grow, so we need to position Ohio as a leader of this industry, both in research and development, as well as in utilization and business growth,” Black said. “The market opportunity is there, and we will be working hard on behalf of all Ohio soybean farmers to make sure that it continues to grow.”
In addition to providing a list of available bioproducts, the Federal Biopreferred Program also requires federal government entities to adopt the bioproducts into their operations as long as the products are not significantly more expensive, lower in quality or difficult to obtain. A similar biopreferred effort is being considered in Ohio with the recent introduction of Senate Bill 131, sponsored by State Senator Karen Gillmor (R-Tiffin).
“During this time of economic stress, we need creative solutions to help fuel our state's economy," Gillmor said. "The combined purchasing power of the state and our public colleges and universities is enormous. This bill will help capture those dollars which the state is already spending and channel them directly back into Ohio's economy." 


Ohio’s strong agricultural sector, combined with the state’s universities, leading polymer industry and research and manufacturing companies (such as Battelle Memorial Institute, Proctor & Gamble, Sherwin Williams, The Scotts Company) are on the way to establishing a thriving bioproducts industry in the state. These bioproducts products can do a lot for those who want to improve the environment, support the local economy or simply try to keep a very busy toddler’s hands clean.
For more information on soy bioproducts, visit www.soyinside.org and www.soynewuses.org.

Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.