The new PFAS bill is urgently needed for Michigan

By Stan Gottfredson | The Michigan Daily | June 3, 2025

Read the full article by Stan Gottfredson (The Michigan Daily)

"Michigan is home to one of the country’s most diverse and productive agricultural industries, producing more than 300 commodities such as tart cherries, cucumbers, asparagus, squash and beans. With 44,000 farms covering 9.4 million acres, the sector contributes $104.7 billion annually to the state’s economy. Unfortunately, this robust industry has been compromised because of a perilous threat: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These toxic “forever chemicals” have leached into the soil and groundwater from industrial wastes and wastewater treatment sites, silently jeopardizing crops, livestock and livelihoods. The bipartisan Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act is a much-needed solution to aid the agricultural community in coping with the fallout of this escalating crisis.

PFAS do not degrade naturally, meaning they can linger in the environment for a long time and even bioaccumulate in living organisms. This persistence has been associated with a myriad of severe medical conditions, such as testicular, kidney, prostate and ovarian cancers, as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma."