The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to establish a grant program to assist eligible governments, including States, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Indian Tribes, in addressing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination on farms. To qualify for grants, an eligible government's territory must contain agricultural land or water used for farm products with PFAS levels deemed unsafe by the Secretary in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency. Applications must include a plan detailing how the funds will be administered, and at least 30 percent of the funding is set aside for governments with populations under 3,000,000. Grant funds can be utilized for a wide range of purposes, including monitoring PFAS-related health complications in affected individuals and their households, and providing compensation for contaminated agricultural land or farm products, including costs for depopulation or disposal. Funds can also support investments in agricultural equipment and infrastructure to help farms transition to alternative production systems or implement remediation strategies. Additionally, grants can provide financial assistance and income replacement for affected farmers, evaluate and expand PFAS testing capacity, and fund research into remediation systems, PFAS uptake in farm products, and food safety. Eligible governments are required to prioritize purposes that directly assist producers experiencing financial losses due to PFAS contamination. The bill also mandates annual reports from grant recipients detailing fund usage and identified needs. Furthermore, it establishes a task force within the Department of Agriculture to advise on integrating PFAS considerations into USDA programs, evaluate actions for farms already enrolled in USDA programs, and provide technical assistance. A total of $500,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for this Act for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
The Secretary of Agriculture is directed to establish a grant program to assist eligible governments, including States, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Indian Tribes, in addressing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination on farms. To qualify for grants, an eligible government's territory must contain agricultural land or water used for farm products with PFAS levels deemed unsafe by the Secretary in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency. Applications must include a plan detailing how the funds will be administered, and at least 30 percent of the funding is set aside for governments with populations under 3,000,000. Grant funds can be utilized for a wide range of purposes, including monitoring PFAS-related health complications in affected individuals and their households, and providing compensation for contaminated agricultural land or farm products, including costs for depopulation or disposal. Funds can also support investments in agricultural equipment and infrastructure to help farms transition to alternative production systems or implement remediation strategies. Additionally, grants can provide financial assistance and income replacement for affected farmers, evaluate and expand PFAS testing capacity, and fund research into remediation systems, PFAS uptake in farm products, and food safety. Eligible governments are required to prioritize purposes that directly assist producers experiencing financial losses due to PFAS contamination. The bill also mandates annual reports from grant recipients detailing fund usage and identified needs. Furthermore, it establishes a task force within the Department of Agriculture to advise on integrating PFAS considerations into USDA programs, evaluate actions for farms already enrolled in USDA programs, and provide technical assistance. A total of $500,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for this Act for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.