About PFAS
What Are PFAS?
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals manufactured by corporations and used in a variety of products from nonstick cookware to dental floss to raingear. Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS linger in the environment indefinitely and are in the air, water, and soil, and in our bodies. They are damaging to human health at even the lowest levels. People exposed to PFAS can develop serious illnesses including kidney cancer, liver disease, thyroid disorders, or autoimmune disorders; and there are no current treatments to remove PFAS from the body.
If you are a gardener or homesteader with questions about PFAS contamination in your soil or water, please visit our FAQ page.
PFAS and Agriculture
PFAS have recently been recognized as contaminants in agriculture and are believed to largely have entered soil through the application of biosolid sludge which may have contained these persistent compounds. Over the past few years, PFAS have emerged as a growing contaminant of concern for the food supply in Maine and elsewhere. Biosolid sludge applications are not permitted in organic production, but these substances do not decompose and remain in the environment for decades after initial application. Through no fault of their own, farmers are having to close farms or shift production to respond to PFAS contamination. In 2021, MOFGA and Maine Farmland Trust created the PFAS Emergency Relief Fund to support farmers facing PFAS contamination.
If you are a farmer with questions about PFAS contamination, please visit our PFAS farmer resource page for more information.
Maine Leads the Way
Maine is leading the nation in dealing with PFAS. Through legislation, testing, and research, Maine has effectively “turned off the tap” of these contaminants on farmland. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have been testing water supplies and farmland where biosolid sludge has been applied, and by 2025, all sites that were permitted for sludge application will be tested, using a tiered prioritization system. Testing is intended to identify communities where land or groundwater is contaminated. MOFGA’s policy team is working at the state and national levels to further limit PFAS in our food system and create a federal safety net for farmers through the “Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act.”
In 2022, Maine State Legislature passed laws making new sludge application illegal, but the practice of biosolid sludge spreading is still allowed nationally. Meaningful change will require federal action. On May 14, 2024, we gave the U.S. EPA notice that we’re going to sue them for failure to regulate PFAS in sludge under the Clean Water Act. Read the notice of intent here. Join us by sending a letter to the EPA urging them to ban sludge!
To learn more how you can take action to turn off the PFAS tap, visit our take action page:
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Support Our Work
MOFGA staff are working to offer up-to-date, reliable, and responsive answers and resources to address members of our community impacted by PFAS contamination. This includes pushing for legislative action, offering one-on-one support for farmers, collaborating with partners to conduct research and advance understanding of the issue, and providing direct financial support to affected farms. Click the button below to donate to MOFGA’s work on PFAS. Thank you for your support!
