New Act Funds Research to Fight PFAS and Microplastics in Farmland, Extending Key Programs Through 2031

The “Research for Healthy Soils Act” is a straightforward piece of legislation that tackles a complex, modern problem: how to keep our food supply safe from emerging contaminants. Essentially, this bill opens the spigot for new agricultural research grants specifically focused on microplastics and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—those ‘forever chemicals’—that are increasingly finding their way onto farmland, often through land-applied materials like recycled wastewater sludge (biosolids) or compost. It’s a proactive step to understand and clean up the stuff we didn’t even know we needed to worry about a decade ago.

The Forever Chemical Fight: What Research Gets Funded

Section 2 of the Act directs funding toward research that is highly practical. If you’re a farmer, a consumer, or work in wastewater treatment, this is where the rubber meets the road. The grants aren't just for academic theory; they must cover specific, real-world issues. For example, research can focus on tracking and surveying how much PFAS and microplastics are actually in the biosolids being spread on fields (SEC. 2). They also want scientists to figure out ways to filter or break down these contaminants before they even hit the soil—think better wastewater treatment or advanced composting methods.

Crucially, the bill funds studies to determine the impact on crops and livestock. This means researchers will be looking at whether your vegetables or the meat you eat are absorbing these chemicals. If you’re a parent, this is the data you need to ensure food safety. Finally, the money is earmarked for developing cleanup methods for soil and water systems that are already contaminated. This provision acknowledges that for some areas, the problem is already here, and we need a fix, not just prevention.

Keeping the Lights On for Existing Research

While the microplastics and PFAS research is the shiny new focus, Section 3 is an important piece of administrative housekeeping. It takes several existing, high-priority agricultural research and extension programs—the kind that help farmers manage pests, improve yields, and adopt sustainable practices—and extends their authorization. Where those programs were set to expire in 2023, the Act pushes their authorization date all the way out to 2031. This move ensures continuity for crucial, ongoing work. For agricultural universities and extension offices, this means eight more years of stable funding to keep helping local producers solve problems and adopt best practices, which ultimately stabilizes our food production system.