Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act
Sponsored By: Senator Susan Collins
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a federal grant program to help governments and farmers respond to PFAS contamination of agricultural land and water.
Show full summary
- Farmers and producers would get direct help for losses and cleanup. Grants could pay for income replacement, depopulation or disposal costs, new equipment, and support to shift production or remediate land.
- People who live or work on contaminated farms would be eligible for health monitoring, including blood serum testing, paid from grant funds.
- State, local, territorial, District of Columbia, and Tribal governments could apply for funds but must submit a spend plan. At least 30% of annual funding would go to eligible governments with populations under 3 million.
- Researchers and data managers would receive support for expanded PFAS testing, a centralized data repository, short-term and long-term studies, and research into remediation and safe uses of contaminated land.
- Grants could also fund marketing help for unaffected producers and voluntary testing of farm products to address public perception and restore markets.
*Would authorize $500 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to help farmers hit by PFAS
If enacted, USDA would run a grants program to help governments respond to PFAS contamination on farms. The bill would authorize $500 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. Each year at least 30 percent of program funds would go to eligible governments with populations under 3,000,000. Grants would be limited to eligible governments (states, DC, territories, and Indian Tribes) only if USDA and EPA find unsafe PFAS in farm soil or production water. Governments would need to apply with a spend plan and file annual reports. Funds could pay for health testing, buy or compensate for contaminated land or products, buy equipment, support remediation or transition, give income replacement to affected producers, expand testing and data, and support research and monitoring. Grants must prioritize direct help to producers who suffer financial losses, and USDA would favor applications that fund investments, enterprise-budget help, or direct financial assistance including income replacement.
USDA PFAS task force for farms
If enacted, the Secretary of Agriculture would create an internal PFAS task force made of USDA staff. The task force would advise whether USDA programs should add PFAS response activities. It would review what to do when farms already in USDA programs test positive for PFAS. It would also give technical help to eligible governments working on PFAS problems.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Susan Collins
ME • R
Cosponsors
Angus King
ME • I
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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