{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-introduces-bill-to-support-farmers-affected-by-pfas", "Maine Delegation Introduces Bill to Support Farmers Affected by PFAS", "2022-10-21", "2022", "2022-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Jared F. Golden", "G000592", "golden.house.gov", "golden", "https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014In a bipartisan, bicameral effort to provide vital assistance to farmers affected by PFAS, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden introduced the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act. The legislation, which was also co-sponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), would authorize grants for states to provide financial assistance to affected farmers, expand monitoring and testing, remediate PFAS, or even help farmers relocate.\n\nPFAS are man-made \u201cforever\u201d chemicals that are used in industry and consumer products and can lead to serious health effects. PFAS contamination has prevented some Maine farms from selling their products, creating financial hardship for many family farmers. In 2016, a dairy farmer in Arundel discovered that the milk produced on his farm contained some of the highest levels ever reported for a PFAS contaminant. In 2020, a dairy farm in Fairfield found PFAS levels in its milk were 153 times higher than the Maine standard. An organic vegetable farm in Unity uncovered PFAS contamination last year, and the couple who farmed the land have higher PFAS levels in their blood than chemical plant workers who manufactured PFAS for decades. Numerous other Maine farmers have had their livelihoods disrupted due to PFAS contamination, which originated in wastewater sludge that was spread as fertilizer by farmers who were told by the government that it was safe to use.\n\n\u201cUSDA needs to step up and provide support to farmers, who at no fault of their own, are at risk of losing their livelihoods,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis is not just a problem in Maine\u2014PFAS contamination has been discovered on farms in New Mexico and Michigan, and this problem will only become more evident as testing becomes more readily available. Thus far, the federal government\u2019s response has failed to keep pace with this growing problem. I have repeatedly urged USDA Secretary Vilsack to come to the aid of these affected farmers, and the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act would finally activate the Department to help where it is needed most.\n\n\u201cThe threat of PFAS is not a hypothetical \u2013 Maine farmers are already losing crops, land, and livestock to contaminants, and if we don\u2019t act quick, the crisis\u2019 human health risks will escalate,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThe Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act is a crucial step to assist farmers combatting the spread of PFAS and provide already-impacted farms with needed relief. The monitoring, testing, and remediation provisions in the bill will help the state study PFAS threats, clean up contaminated areas, and prevent further communities from facing the economic and health devastation of these contaminants. I hope this bipartisan, bicameral legislation can get broad support across Congress and give Maine farmers the help they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe more we learn about forever chemicals, the more urgent addressing widespread contamination across the nation becomes. Our farmers\u2019 livelihoods are in jeopardy, and we must do everything we can to support them through this crisis,\u201d said Congresswoman Pingree. \u201cThe Relief for Famers Impacted by PFAS Act establishes a federal program to help farmers in Maine and across the country address PFAS contamination\u2014through testing and medical treatment, compensating farmers for contaminated land, implementing remediation strategies and more. Our bill is an important step forward in mobilizing whole-of-government action on the PFAS crisis that\u2019s impacting our food supply chain, economy, and way of life.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt great costs to themselves, Maine farmers have gone above and beyond to protect consumers and mitigate the impacts of PFAS contamination,\u201d said Congressman Golden. \u201cFarms are facing deep financial hardship over a growing problem they did nothing to create. Keeping our communities and environment healthy requires a collaborative approach and this bill is a critical step toward increased partnerships to address this growing issue.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the funds authorized by the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act could be used for a variety of purposes at the state level, including:\n\nMore capacity for PFAS testing for soil or water sources;\n\nBlood monitoring for individuals to make informed decisions about their health;\n\nEquipment to ensure a farm remains profitable during or after known PFAS contamination;\n\nRelocation of a commercial farm if the land is no longer viable;\n\nAlternative cropping systems or remediation strategies;\n\nEducational programs for farmers experiencing PFAS contamination; and\n\nResearch on soil and water remediation systems, and the viability of those systems for farms.\n\nThe bill would also create a task force at USDA charged with identifying other USDA programs to which PFAS contamination should be added as an eligible activity. This would help bring even more resources to farmers through existing programs. Additionally, the task force would provide technical assistance to states to help them coordinate their responses effectively.\n\n\"Maine is leading the nation in cleaning up forever chemicals and supporting our farmers whose lands have been impacted, but we can do more,\" said Governor Janet Mills. \"This funding championed by the Congressional Delegation will help Maine and other states take even more aggressive action to identify and address PFAS contamination statewide, preserving the health of our people and the health of our farmland.\"\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by Maine Farmland Trust, the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the Organic Farmers Association, and Defend Our Health. Click HERE to read their statements in support of the bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:28Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://golden.house.gov/media/press-releases/maine-delegation-introduces-bill-to-support-farmers-affected-by-pfas"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0124567672610283, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}