AFT Calls for Stronger PFAS Guidance for Farmers

American Farmland Trust is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen proposed guidance addressing PFAS in biosolids, with a greater focus on farmers and farmland.

EPA released draft guidance in July outlining voluntary recommendations for wastewater facilities, landowners, and farmers, to reduce potential risks from two types of “forever chemicals” in biosolids.  The agency says the guidance is intended to help reduce risks while maintaining appropriate beneficial uses of biosolids.

AFT said farmers face unique health and economic concerns from potential PFAS contamination and wants EPA to provide more farmer-specific information, including guidance on crops with lower PFAS uptake.  The organization also wants EPA to prioritize preventing additional contamination of agricultural land and address potential effects on farmland value and future production options.

AFT is calling for EPA to finalize its 2025 draft biosolids risk assessment and conduct a national survey of PFAS in biosolids. EPA says its draft guidance is voluntary and does not establish regulatory thresholds.

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