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AFBF seeks farmer protection from PFAS contaminations

A leader with the American Farm Bureau Federation says farmers shouldn’t be held liable for any contamination of PFAS chemicals in their fields.

Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs, says producers currently have some protection from an EPA enforcement action. “But they do not have protection from third party liability. There is a section of the statute, it’s a citizen supervision, that for the price of a postage stamp your neighbor can sue you if they think that you are violating this rule making.”

According to EPA, PFAS are a class of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. There are thousands of different PFAS, some of which have been more widely used and studied than others. They are called forever chemicals because they break down very slowly over time.

She tells Brownfield she’s hopeful the new Congress will pass legislation that provides a liability shield for farmers and ranchers. “The chemical is a forever chemical. It doesn’t breakdown naturally in the environment and sometimes it can just naturally find its way to a farm field. Those farmers should not be held liable for a chemical that they did not use.”

Briggs spoke to Brownfield at the 2024 NAFB Convention in Kansas City.

INTERVIEW: AFBF’s Courtney Briggs 11-13-2024