Maine PFAS Fund - Farmer Financial Assistance (PFAS Fund)

DACF supports Maine farmers facing PFAS contamination to make adjustments that allow them to remain in business and produce safe food, through the PFAS Response Program and the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination (PFAS Fund, established with $60 million to support a comprehensive response). A single Master Application lets producers apply for financial assistance from either program. This is a suite of assistance types:

• Administrative Cost Grant (Section 2): one-time grant partially compensating farms for time spent on activities upon initial discovery of PFAS contamination.

• Income Replacement (Section 3): up to a total of 24 months of lost income, adjusted for inflation, for farms that stopped selling products due to PFAS.

• Technical Assistance / Professional Services (Section 4): support for professional services guiding recovery (business planning, marketing, etc.).

• Clean Feed Assistance (Section 5): support for clean feed for livestock health and depuration goals.

• Equipment and Input Costs (Section 6): support to convert operations to new products and production methods.

• Infrastructure (Section 7): support for permanent physical assets and structures aiding transition.

• Debt Service on Existing Loans (Section 8): payment of loans tied to pre-discovery farm infrastructure.

• New Loan Assistance (Section 9): support for costs of obtaining a new loan.

Additional DACF financial assistance (outside the Master Application) includes the Farm Testing Reimbursement Payment Program, the Farm Water Treatment Program, and Livestock Depopulation Funding. The no-cost PFAS Navigator Program provides one-on-one support to impacted farmers.

In general, commercial farms are eligible if: (1) the farm has DACF-confirmed unsafe levels of PFAS contamination - one or more farm-product samples exceeding current Action Levels or deemed of concern by the Maine CDC, and/or groundwater exceeding Maine's enforceable interim drinking water standard, and/or soil exceeding a current Maine CDC crop-specific screening level; and (2) the farm has partnered with DACF to investigate the scope of contamination and granted ongoing access. A commercial farm is a farm that produces any farm product with the intent that it be sold or otherwise disposed of to generate income. Some sections have additional or different eligibility requirements noted within the Master Application.

DACF PFAS financial assistance programs are subject to change and to funding availability. Payments to producers may be considered reportable income by the IRS and/or Maine Revenue Services, and producers are responsible for payment of all taxes. Income Replacement is limited to up to 24 months of lost income (inflation-adjusted) and to 2 years from the date of discovery of elevated PFAS levels.

Complete the Master Application (PDF: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ag/pfas/docs/00_Full_master-application\_20240925.pdf). All applicants complete Section 1 (General Applicant Information) and a vendor form, then any applicable assistance sections. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, subject to funding availability. Questions: PFASFund.DACF@maine.gov or pfas.dacf@maine.gov.