The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has announced $3 million in new research grants aimed at helping farms affected by PFAS.
Often called “forever chemicals,” PFAS have been linked to a range of health risks, including certain cancers, immune system suppression, liver damage and reduced fertility.
While the vast majority of Maine farms are not impacted, state officials are providing testing, financial assistance, research and technical support to 127 farms of all sizes to help farmers make informed decisions and continue operating safely, according to the department.
Most contamination stems from the historic use of wastewater sludge as an abundant, low-cost fertilizer, a practice banned in Maine in 2022, the department said.
To better understand the issue, a state-funded research grant program was launched to study how the chemicals move through soil, water, plants and animals; where they accumulate in crops and livestock; and what practices can protect food safety and worker health.
The department awarded a first round of research grants last year to fund projects investigating topics from the use of biochar to immobilize PFAS to bioaccumulation and depuration in dairy sheep and the transfer of PFAS from soils to poultry and eggs.
Recipients in the latest funding round, announced Friday, include three University of Maine researchers working on separate projects, including one studying the effects of PFAS on bee pollinators and the environment.
“These new grants expand and accelerate agricultural PFAS research,” said Amanda Beal, commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. “The results will help impacted farmers in Maine and across the country make informed decisions so they can continue to operate and thrive.”
