The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DCAF) announced Monday that applications have now opened for a combined $3 million worth of research grants for the study of how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” — impact agriculture.
According to a DCAF press release, this funding is part of the state’s “ongoing effort to help farmers manage the challenges posed by PFAS contamination and to identify strategies to maintain viable agricultural operations.”
Supported by these grants will be a variety of research topics, including: “Water, Soil, and Plant Studies,” “Animals and Animal Product Studies,” “Understanding and Managing PFAS in On-Farm Settings and Products,” and “Remediation of PFAS-Contaminated Land and Suitable Uses of PFAS-Contaminated Products.”
Award values will range from $100,000 to $500,000, with a total of $3 million available. DCAF explains that while these grants are primarily geared toward “academic and research institutions,” the agency is encouraging partnerships with “Maine-based farms and organizations.”
Additional points will be awarded during the scoring process to those who do plan to engage in such collaborations.
“The outcomes of these studies will, for example, help us understand which crops can safely be grown in PFAS-impacted soil, develop techniques to reduce PFAS in livestock and animal products, and explore on-field crop management strategies that minimize PFAS contamination in forages fed to dairy animals,” said Beth Valentine, Director of the PFAS Fund. “This research will provide Maine farmers—and farmers across the country—with critical tools to continue farming safely and sustainably.”
Pre-proposals are due October 28, and full proposals must be submitted by January 31, 2025.
This program is funded by a $5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) award, $3 million of which was set aside for research.
“PFAS is a complex and emerging issue facing Maine farmers and other states,” said Kale Horton, Environmental Program Manager with USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation, Environmental Activities Division. “USDA is excited to support and partner with DACF to develop new and innovative approaches that will help farmers find solutions to mitigate the impacts of PFAS in their operations.”
Click Here to Read DCAF’s Full Press Release
The PFAS Fund was first established by Gov. Janet Mills (D) in 2022 with a $60 million General Fund appropriation approved by the Legislature. The Fund’s purpose was described as “support[ing] farmers whose land and/or water are contaminated with [PFAS].”
In addition to research, the PFAS Fund is also intended to provide direct financial support to farmers impacted by “forever chemical” contamination, purchase contaminated land from willing sellers, and pursue health-related initiatives such as blood testing and mental health services.
Earlier this year, the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) joined a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the agency’s alleged failure to adequately address PFAS contamination.
MOFGA announced in July that it had signed onto a lawsuit filed in June by a group of ranchers from Johnson County, Texas against the EPA for allegedly “fail[ing] to regulate the land application of sludge contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Clean Water Act.”
In the Notice of Intent filed by MOFGA in May of this year, the group explains that the primary source of this PFAS contamination is “the use of biosolids and paper mill sludges, either applied to farmland as soil amendments or ‘disposed of’ by spreading on fields.”
On April 16, Gov. Mills signed a bill into law that made a handful of changes to Maine’s first-of-their-kind regulations, requiring that PFAS be removed from the vast majority of products sold in the state by 2032.
For items such as cookware, cosmetics, and upholstered furniture, PFAS must be eliminated by 2026.
By 2040, heating, cooling, and refrigeration equipment being offered for sale in Maine may no longer contain PFAS.
A number of products are explicitly exempted from these requirements, including firefighting foams, federally-regulated medical products, and motor vehicles.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="30967 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=30967">2 Comments
We already know that it is in the soil and wells and public water but the state is still dumping sludge with PFAS in the state after years of spreading it on farmland. What is to study ?
How about some of that grant going to us private well owners for testing our wells The tests are rather expensive for the elderly home owner.