Maine has allocated $3 million to fund agricultural PFAS research aimed at helping farmers navigate contamination challenges and safeguard their operations.
Allyson LaPierre reports for WGME.
In short:
- The Maine Department of Agriculture awarded $3 million from its PFAS Fund to support seven research projects focused on detecting, managing, and mitigating PFAS contamination on farms.
- Research teams from the University of Maine and Harvard will study PFAS behavior in soil, plants, and animals, and develop farmer-friendly technologies, including a portable PFAS detection device.
- The initiative responds to widespread PFAS contamination affecting more than 90 Maine farms, much of it traced to the historical use of municipal sludge as fertilizer.
Key quote:
"These research grants will build on that work and deepen our understanding of how PFAS moves through agricultural systems and identify better ways for farms to manage and minimize risks."
— Amanda Beal, DACF Commissioner
Why this matters:
PFAS chemicals persist in the environment for decades, accumulating in soil, water, crops, livestock, and eventually human bodies and has been linked to serious health risks including cancer, liver damage, immune system disruption, and developmental effects in children. For farmers, PFAS contamination poses a dual crisis: It threatens public health and jeopardizes their livelihoods by rendering land, crops, and livestock unsellable. Maine’s proactive research funding seeks to empower farmers with better detection tools and science-based management strategies. This research could inform agricultural practices nationwide as other states confront similar contamination from fertilizers, firefighting foams, and industrial waste.
Related: States move to cement PFAS protections amid fears of federal rollbacks
