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PFAS Fund reports $2.35 million in aid to producers, readies research grants and mental‑health supports
Summary
The PFAS Fund has distributed about $2.35 million for income replacement, administrative grants, business planning and navigators; staff said peer review of major research proposals is underway and the department is designing a targeted grants program and a mental‑health support program with FarmFirst.
Department staff told the advisory committee that the PFAS Fund has distributed about $2,350,000 over the past year for producer assistance and that research funding and mental‑health supports are moving forward.
Financial assistance: Beth said the bulk of the $2,350,000 went to income replacement payments for producers. Other uses included administrative cost grants, business planning, marketing and support to help producers develop new markets after PFAS detection. The total also covered funding for a navigators program at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, which helps producers identify eligible programs and complete applications.
Research grants: The fund is in its first round of major grants. Staff reported that all proposals are in and have been sent to peer reviewers; peer reviewers are expected to return reports the following Monday and award announcements are planned for April. Staff said these grants are intended to be funded with a USDA grant and that, while the department had no indication the USDA grant would be withheld, the PFAS Fund can cover the awards if federal funds do not arrive on schedule.
Program staffing and targeted grants: Beth said the staff position for the research program is being recruited; interviews are scheduled and new staff will be asked to develop a targeted grants program focused on farmer‑collaborative projects that are smaller in scale but closely tied to producers.
Mental‑health supports: The PFAS Fund implementation plan calls for a mental‑health support program. The department conducted a 2023 survey of impacted farmers and community members to identify needed services — supportive counseling, peer support, wellness trainings and web resources. The department has contracted with FarmFirst, an organization in Vermont that operates an employee assistance program for agricultural communities, to help design a Maine program and to identify gaps in existing services. FarmFirst will present recommendations to the department.
Other ongoing studies: Maine CDC is conducting a farmer and farmworker soil exposure study to examine inhalation, accidental ingestion and dermal pathways, staff said. The department will announce grant awards in April and continue recruitment for the research program position.
No formal votes were recorded on these routine updates during the meeting; staff requested committee input on grant priorities and mental‑health program design and will return with award notices and staffing updates.
