WestRock’s FENIX™ Bio Locking Tag Earns USDA Certified Biobased Product Label

ATLANTA (April 12, 2024) — WestRock Company (NYSE:WRK) announced today that its FENIX™ Bio Locking Tag has earned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Biobased Product Label.  

The FENIX™ Bio Locking Tag represents a renewable alternative to petroleum-based products, using up to 88% fewer fossil fuel-based plastics than traditional plastic options. These plant-based horticulture tags enable WestRock customers to achieve plastic-reduction goals while ensuring critical functionality in greenhouse, nursery and retail environments.  

“WestRock is very proud to receive a certification from the USDA recognizing the role our products play in ensuring a more sustainable future,” said Sam Shoemaker, president of Consumer Packaging at WestRock. “Our teams are committed to pioneering technological advances and innovative product solutions to help our customers reach their sustainability goals.”

The FENIX™ Bio Locking Tag is approved to display a unique USDA label that highlights its biobased content. Third-party verification for a product’s biobased content is administered through the USDA’s BioPreferred© Program, which strives to increase the development, purchase and use of biobased products. Biobased products such as the FENIX™ Bio Locking Tag are cost-comparative, readily available, and perform as well as, or better than, their conventional counterparts.

"We applaud WestRock for earning the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label," said Vernell Thompson, procurement analyst at USDA BioPreferred© Program. "The label is intended to help spur economic development, create new jobs, and provide new markets for farm commodities. It also makes it easier for consumers and federal buyers to locate biobased products and consider planet-friendlier options during purchase decisions. By having their products become USDA Certified Biobased, WestRock joins an expanding list of businesses combatting inaccurate marketing claims and the practice of greenwashing, while also contributing to a thriving bioeconomy that decreases our reliance on petroleum."

In the latest Economic Impact Report released by USDA, biobased products have been noted to result in a substantial environmental impact, displacing about 9.4 million barrels of oil a year, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 12.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year.

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About WestRock
WestRock (NYSE: WRK) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions, with approximately 50,000 teammates in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Our integrated packaging capabilities offer end-to-end solutions to help customers address their greatest challenges.


About the USDA BioPreferred Program
With the goal of increasing the development, purchase, and use of biobased products, USDA's BioPreferred® Program was first introduced in the 2002 Farm Bill and reauthorized in 2018. It requires federal agencies and contractors to give purchasing preference to biobased products. The USDA BioPreferred Program also includes a voluntary certification and labeling initiative for biobased products. This is referred to as the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label. More than 1,800 companies across the U.S. and in 47 countries participate in the Program. From farm and field all the way through the manufacturing process, the expanding market for biobased products creates jobs, supports rural economic growth in America, and has a positive impact on our planet. Have questions?

Please contact: Vernell Thompson, USDA BioPreferred Program at Vernell.Thompson@usda.gov.

Media Contact
Robby Johnson, 470-328-6979
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
robby.b.johnson@westrock.com