CAST’s latest report will explore how PFAS contamination affects farms, food production and rural communities, while emphasizing the need for practical risk management strategies.
Farmers often face financial, regulatory and reputational challenges when per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are detected in agricultural land, crops, water or food, even when the contamination originates elsewhere, according to a new paper from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).
The report, titled “PFAS in Agriculture: Science, Uncertainty, and Risk Communication,” is scheduled for release Friday, October 16, 2026. The report finds that farmers and rural communities “find themselves at the center of a crisis largely not of their making,” bearing “disproportionate regulatory, economic, and reputational consequences when PFAS are detected.”
“Farmers are partners in risk reduction, not convenient downstream targets for contamination they did not cause,” the report concludes.
PFAS, commonly called “forever chemicals,” can enter agricultural environments through sources such as biosolids, compost, irrigation water and industrial pollution.
The paper identifies the treatment of thousands of chemically different PFAS substances as a single category of risk as a major challenge for current policies.
The Environmental Protection Agency's PFAS structure list includes 21,028 substances, while much of the strongest evidence concerning health risks focuses on well-studied compounds such as PFOA and PFOS, particularly under high-exposure conditions.
According to the report, potential risks depend on the specific chemical, exposure level, duration, and route of exposure. Detecting trace amounts of PFAS in soil or food does not automatically establish significant harm, the paper states.
The publication reviews federal and state regulatory developments, including the EPA's 2025 draft sewage sludge risk assessment, its 2026 draft biosolids guidance and a 2026 National Academies report prepared for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It also examines litigation affecting agricultural producers.
CAST recommends controlling contamination at its source, strategically testing higher-risk agricultural inputs, evaluating individual compounds, maintaining detailed records, and participating in state regulatory discussions. Early communication with affected stakeholders is also encouraged.
Photo Credit: council-for-agricultural-science-and-technology