Guidance for federal conservation programs on PFAS on agricultural lands offered in new report

February 13, 2026

Read the full article (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine)

"A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides an initial framework to help the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other land conservation agencies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture address PFAS contamination on agricultural working lands. The report examines the scope of PFAS challenges in agriculture and identifies steps these agencies could take to reduce impacts on natural resources and agricultural productivity.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are widespread, persistent chemicals that can move through soils, water, crops, livestock, and food systems and can negatively affect human health. In agricultural settings, PFAS can enter lands through pathways such as organic soil amendments, irrigation water, atmospheric deposition, or off-site industrial sources. As the primary federal agency responsible for helping conserve and improve the condition of natural resources on privately owned working lands, the Natural Resources Conservation Service seeks to help producers minimize and mitigate the harmful effects of PFAS on these lands through its conservation practices, processes, and programs.

“Through local, state, regional, and national partnerships, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance for tens of millions of acres of privately owned farm, ranch, and forested lands on an annual basis,” said Jim Ippolito, Rattan Lal Endowed Professor of Soil Health and Soil Fertility at the Ohio State University and chair of the committee that wrote the report. “We hope this report offers a path forward for USDA and others who may face PFAS challenges.”