FOOD & AGRICULTURE QUARTERLY | JUNE 2026
PFAS contamination on agricultural land: How forever chemicals threaten soil, water, livestock, and food safety
ADAM WILCZEWSKI
PFAS contamination on agricultural land is an escalating environmental and public health crisis affecting soil quality, water systems, livestock, crop production, and the safety of the global food supply. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances( PFAS), commonly known as“ forever chemicals,” are synthetic compounds that resist degradation and can persist in soil and groundwater for decades. PFAS enter farmland through multiple pathways, including biosolids used as fertilizer, contaminated irrigation water, industrial runoff, and atmospheric deposition, creating long-term contamination cycles that are difficult to remediate. As PFAS accumulate in crops, livestock, and drinking water sources, both small farms and large agricultural operations face growing economic, environmental, and regulatory risks.
One of the primary pathways is the spreading of treated sewage sludge( biosolids) as fertilizer. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, biosolids can contain PFAS that originate from industrial discharges and consumer waste streams, which then persist in soil after application. Scientific literature reinforces that this pathway is both widespread and persistent. A comprehensive report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concludes that land-applied biosolids are among the most significant contributors of PFAS to agricultural soils, with long-term implications for soil and crop contamination. Similarly, research from the United States Geological Survey has documented PFAS contamination in groundwater and surface water used for irrigation, allowing these chemicals to be directly introduced into cropland. A third major source is the use of PFAS-containing products
PAGE 15