For Immediate Release
January 29, 2026

Maine DACF Deputy Commissioner Shares State's PFAS Response at Congressional Briefing

Washington, D.C. – Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) Deputy Commissioner Nancy McBrady recently presented at a Congressional briefing focused on PFAS contamination and its impacts on agriculture, offering federal lawmakers on-the-ground insights from Maine's experience and response.

The briefing was organized by American Farmland Trust as part of its outreach campaign supporting the PFAS and Agriculture Policy Workgroup's federal policy recommendations released last fall. The panel, hosted by U.S. Representative for Maine's 1st Congressional District Chellie Pingree, brought together farmers, policy leaders, and agricultural experts from across the country.

Deputy Commissioner McBrady provided an overview of PFAS, the challenges these "forever chemicals" pose to agricultural producers, and how Maine has developed a comprehensive response program that can serve as a model for other states. She emphasized that, with the right tools and support, farms impacted by PFAS contamination can remain viable.

“Maine’s experience shows that while PFAS contamination can present serious challenges, it does not have to mean the end of a farm,” McBrady said. “Our approach is grounded in science, farmer support, and long-term viability, and key learnings can inform national policy.”

The briefing also featured firsthand perspectives from farmers directly impacted by PFAS contamination, including Jim Buckle of The Buckle Farm in Maine and Robbie O'Neal of O'Neal Farms & Produce in South Carolina, who spoke about the real-world effects of contamination and the need for coordinated federal and state action.

Other panelists included representatives from national agricultural, conservation, and policy organizations, highlighting the broad interest in developing effective, farmer-centered PFAS solutions:

• Bill Pluecker, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and Chair, Maine Legislature's Joint Standing Committee for Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
• RJ Kearney, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)
• Tim Fink and Emily Liss, American Farmland Trust
• Becca Meuninck, National Wildlife Federation, Great Lakes Region
• Courtney Briggs, American Farm Bureau Federation
• Julie McClure, Tri-Societies (American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America)

The Congressional briefing underscored the importance of federal leadership informed by state-level experience and farmer voices as policymakers consider next steps on PFAS and agriculture.

Learn more about Maine DACF's science-based efforts to protect farmers, food safety, and long-term farm viability through the PFAS Response Program and the $60 million Fund to Address PFAS Contamination, established by Governor Janet Mills with bipartisan legislative support.

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Media are invited to use the attached photos for coverage of this briefing. Photo credit: Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry / American Farmland Trust.