The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced on Mar. 24 a new research grant program to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in Michigan’s agricultural systems.
This initiative aims to improve understanding of PFAS impacts on soil, crops, and livestock, as well as identify strategies to mitigate or manage these chemicals. The department said this effort is part of its broader commitment to preserving the environment for farming communities that supply consumer needs, according to the official website.
MDARD Director Tim Boring said, “With this announcement, MDARD is one of the first state agriculture agencies in the nation to create a research grant program dedicated to understanding how PFAS influences agriculture systems. These new grants will help protect Michigan’s soil, water and food supply by enhancing our understanding of PFAS sources and PFAS uptake in crops and livestock and, most importantly, help identify how we can mitigate or manage the effects of these chemicals.”
Dr. Laura Johnson, MDARD’s Chief Science Officer, said: “This new grant program exemplifies MDARD’s commitment to using the best available science and innovative research to further strengthen Michigan’s food and agriculture sector. Today’s grants will help build a framework for understanding the movement of PFAS and other emerging contaminants within agriculture systems and mitigating such contamination if it occurs.”
Individual awards under this program can be up to $400,000 for projects focused on studying sources of PFAS in soil dynamics; uptake in crops; uptake in livestock; or methods for mitigation or remediation on agricultural lands. Researchers at universities or colleges—including community and tribal colleges—are eligible if at least one principal investigator is based at a Michigan institution. No matching funds are required.
Letters of intent must be submitted by April 20. Qualified applicants will then be invited to submit full proposals by June 1. A Joint Evaluation Committee will review proposals later that month.
According to MDARD’s official website, the department safeguards a food system valued at nearly $126 billion while fostering economic growth in food production sectors through innovative strategies that also protect public health, animal welfare, consumers via regulations on weights and measures enforcement as well as commodity board oversight.
PFAS are long-lasting human-made chemicals used widely across industrial applications such as waterproof clothing or firefighting foams; studies have linked some types with health risks for humans and animals.
Since Governor Gretchen Whitmer took office in 2019, MDARD has distributed more than $250 million in grants supporting industry innovation from horticulture through rural infrastructure development.
Dr. Johnson joined MDARD in October 2024 as Chief Science Officer—the first such position embedded within a state agriculture agency—highlighting an ongoing focus on adaptive science-backed strategies aimed at sustaining agricultural resiliency.
