PFAS contamination on agricultural land: How forever chemicals threaten soil, water, livestock, and food safety
PFAS contamination on agricultural land is an escalating environmental and public health crisis affecting soil quality, water systems, livestock, crop production, and the safety of the global food supply. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic compounds that resist degradation and can persist in soil and groundwater for decades. PFAS enter farmland through multiple pathways, including biosolids used as fertilizer, contaminated irrigation water, industrial runoff, and atmospheric deposition, creating long-term contamination cycles that are difficult to remediate. As PFAS accumulate in crops, livestock, and drinking water sources, both small farms and large agricultural operations face growing economic, environmental, and regulatory risks.
One of the primary pathways is the spreading of treated sewage sludge (biosolids) as fertilizer. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, biosolids can contain PFAS that originate from industrial discharges and consumer waste streams, which then persist in soil after application. Scientific literature reinforces that this pathway is both widespread and persistent. A comprehensive report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concludes that land-applied biosolids are among the most significant contributors of PFAS to agricultural soils, with long-term implications for soil and crop contamination. Similarly, research from the United States Geological Survey has documented PFAS contamination in groundwater and surface water used for irrigation, allowing these chemicals to be directly introduced into cropland. A third major source is the use of PFAS-containing products such as certain pesticides, firefighting foams used near agricultural sites, and water-resistant coatings on farm equipment or materials, all of which can leach into soil over time.
The spread of PFAS through these pathways has not gone unnoticed by Congress. The bipartisan congressional PFAS Task Force, founded in 2019, studies PFAS concerns and develops policy solutions. Congress codified the creation of a Department of Defense PFAS Task Force, to address mitigation and cleanup efforts, researching the impact of PFAS on human health, expanding public outreach, and supporting new research efforts. However, between 2022 and 2024, the congressional task force went quiet; while the Pentagon continued activities, programmatic funding reduced dramatically and halted through fiscal year 2025. On May 5, 2025, Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) re-launched the congressional Task Force in the 119th Congress with a focus on three main areas:
- Advance comprehensive legislation to end PFAS pollution and hold polluters accountable;
- Educate lawmakers and the public on the serious health and environmental consequences of PFAS exposure; and,
- Secure historic federal investments in research, remediation and prevention.
The new task force has swelled to 52 members of Congress and helped pass the Department of Defense PFAS Discharge Prevention Act as an amendment to the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to monitor PFAS discharges and implement appropriate best management practices of PFAS on Department of Defense facilities. The Congressional PFAS Task Force has yet to address PFAS in municipalities that affect fire fighters, for example, or PFAS runoff at or near agricultural lands. However, multiple task force members have indicated a strong willingness to tackle these issues next. The importance of farmer and agriculture producer outreach regarding these issues with members of Congress cannot be overstated to protect water flow on farmlands.
Studies show that irrigation with PFAS-contaminated water can lead to measurable uptake in crops, effectively transferring these chemicals into the food system. Scientific literature increasingly characterizes PFAS not as isolated contaminants but as mobile, bioaccumulative agents capable of infiltrating the entire agricultural value chain. Because PFAS are highly resistant to degradation and highly mobile, once introduced through any of these channels, they persist indefinitely, cycling through soil, water, livestock, and crops, compounding exposure risks over time.
Dangers of PFAS on agricultural land
The human health implications of PFAS exposure are severe, well-documented, and among the most concerning aspects of their presence on farmland. Multiple peer-reviewed scientific studies link PFAS exposure to thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol, liver damage, kidney cancer, and weakened immune response. These compounds enter the human body primarily through ingestion, via contaminated drinking water or food products grown on affected land. Because PFAS accumulate over time in human tissue, even low-level, chronic exposure can lead to significant long-term health risks. This creates a particular burden for agricultural communities, where both farmers and consumers are exposed through multiple pathways simultaneously.
Beyond human health, PFAS contamination directly affects livestock and wildlife, creating a secondary layer of agricultural risk. Research demonstrates that PFAS compounds bioaccumulate in animals, particularly in grazing livestock exposed through contaminated soil and water. Once absorbed, these chemicals can persist in animal tissues and fluids, including milk. One dairy farmer described the devastating impact, stating he had to discard “about 12,000 gallons of milk a day” due to contamination. For small farmers, such losses can be existential; for large corporate farms, they represent significant supply chain and liability risks.
Water systems on farms are especially vulnerable to PFAS contamination. These chemicals are highly mobile and can leach into groundwater and surface water, spreading contamination beyond the original source. Due to their high mobility, PFAS readily migrate from soil into groundwater and surface water, contaminating irrigation systems and nearby ecosystems. Studies have confirmed the presence of PFAS in streams within agricultural watersheds, demonstrating that contamination is not confined to isolated sites but can propagate across entire regions. In fact, the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule of the U.S. EPA details 3,539 sites across the United States. This hydrological mobility creates a feedback loop in which contaminated water irrigates crops and communities, while runoff spreads the chemicals further.
PFAS contamination of soil health further compounds the problem, directly affecting crop production. Studies show that PFAS introduced through biosolids can persist in soil for years while still being absorbed by plants. Even at low concentrations, PFAS can be taken up by crops, reducing food safety and market viability. For farmers, this can render land economically unusable and create long-term liability concerns. Moreover, it can generally undermine the integrity of agricultural land as a productive asset, transforming soil into a long-term reservoir of contamination.
The entry of PFAS into the food supply is the culmination of these interconnected pathways. Contaminated soil, water, and livestock all contribute to the presence of PFAS in food products, including meat, dairy, and vegetables consumed by the public. Once in the food system, PFAS exposure extends beyond farming communities to the general population, effectively transforming an environmental contamination issue into a widespread public health concern.
In sum, PFAS contamination is ubiquitous, affecting croplands, humans, animals, waste streams on multiple levels, soil, and our food supply. Its persistence and mobility make it uniquely difficult to manage, while its bioaccumulative nature ensures that its impacts compound over time. Small farmers often lack the resources to test and remediate contamination, while large corporate farms face regulatory and financial risks at scale. While Congress and the Department of Defense continue to address PFAS with regard to military bases – which is a good start – much still needs to be done to address PFAS on agricultural land. This will require coordinated regulatory action, scientific innovation in remediation, and direct support for affected farmers. This starts with your voice.
