Maine farmers tell their PFAS stories at film screening
By Steele Hays
Maine farmers have been both victims suffering heartbreaking loss and heroes rising above adversity in connection with the contamination of farmland and ground water by PFAS–so-called “forever chemicals.”
Both roles were depicted in a powerful fashion at a Sept. 25 screening of the documentary film “Sludge: A PFAS Uprising” and at a panel discussion afterwards at Bucksport’s Alamo Theater, an event sponsored by Blue Hill’s Shaw Institute.
This was only the second screening of the film in Maine since its release in 2024, with three Maine farm families as key subjects in the film. The film was also screened September 28 at the Stonington Opera House.
In 2016, dairy farmer Fred Stone of Arundel, Maine was the first in the state to have his farm shut down after high levels of PFAS chemicals were found in his cows’ milk. Stone is featured prominently in the film, along with farmers Brendan and Kaisha Holmes of Misty Brook Farm in Albion.
Stone’s farm is still out of operation, but the Holmes’ story is a brighter one. The problems at their farm were caused by PFAS-contaminated hay purchased from another farm. They were able to buy new cows, destroy the hay and make other changes that let them resume producing and selling their meat and milk, now tested regularly to confirm safety. The couple attended the screening and were panelists in the discussion.
“It’s a lot of extra work. It’s complicated, but we have to do it,” said Brendan Holmes, regarding the changes they’ve had to make to remain in operation.
“Sludge” was recently screened in both Bucksport and Stonington. Photo courtesy of Jeff Christian Films.
Maine has been a national leader in addressing PFAS problems. The state has banned the spreading of sludge on agricultural land, which many states still allow, and has prohibited the sale of products containing PFAS chemicals, with a few exceptions. PFAS have been found on more than 100 Maine farms, and the number has been rising steadily as more farms are tested. In 2024, the state set up a $60 million fund to support farmers facing PFAS challenges and to fund testing and other PFAS programs.
PFAS are per- and polyfluorinated substances, a broad class of chemicals used in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as clothing and cookware, and in firefighting chemicals. Called “forever chemicals” because they don’t degrade naturally in the environment, they’ve been linked to many health problems, including liver and immune-system damage and some cancers. For many decades, sludge, a byproduct of municipal waste treatment, was spread on farms as a soil amendment. Officials assured farmers it was safe.
“It’s an important story to bring to our communities,” said Dr. Charlie Rolsky, Executive Director of the Shaw Institute. “When we first became aware of the production, we knew we had to get involved and quickly jumped on board to advise and also develop the film’s official education guide.”
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection offers a wide range of PFAS information on its website, including a map showing every location in Maine where sludge has been applied or PFAS contamination detected. The DEP map shows four locations in the Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle where sludge has been applied.
The Shaw Institute is currently working with the University of Maine to research whether and how PFAS chemicals influence the behavior, health and survival of lobsters.
The corporations that produce or use PFAS in their products have been under pressure to cease production and many are facing lawsuits seeking damages. In 2023, the manufacturing company 3M agreed to a settlement requiring them to pay up to $12.5 billion over 13 years to public water systems with PFAS contamination. The multinational company also said it would stop all PFAS production by the end of this year. The money will help cover costs of testing for and filtering PFAS from water systems where it’s been detected.
“Maine is addressing this head on,” said panelist Shelley Megquier, the director of policy and research at Maine Farmland Trust. “And we have farmers who are addressing this. The best thing we can do to help is ‘buy local.’”
Rolsky said some Maine farms now stamp their products with “PFAS Free” labels, indicating that their products are regularly tested and confirmed to have safe levels of PFAS.
