President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum today directing the Federal Government to dramatically increase the purchase of biobased products over the next two years.

The Memorandum, he says, will result in a 50 percent increase in the number of new biobased products such as paints, soaps and detergents that are developed from plants, rather than chemicals or petroleum.

Biobased products marries the two most important economic engines for rural America: agriculture and manufacturing. The directive will create green jobs and drive innovation in areas where biobased products are grown and manufactured, he says.

The BioPreferred program was established by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and strengthened by

It's intended to increase Federal procurement of biobased products to promote rural economic development, create jobs, provide new markets for farm commodities, and increase energy security and independence.

The memorandum pushes the government further to ensure it's buying as many products as possible.

Read the requirements:

Website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/02/21/presidential-memorandum-driving-innovation-and-creating-jobs-rural-ameri

Photo by Robert Brook/flickr/Creative Commons