This fund is intended to holistically support Maine farmers and Maine farm workers impacted by PFAS contamination. The Maine PFAs Farmer Wellness Fund is part of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and Maine Farmland Trust PFAS Emergency Relief Fund. It is being administered in partnership with the Maine Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
Eligibility:
-All commercial Maine farms selling more than $2000 of product/ year. A farm does not need to have confirmed high PFAS test results though those farms and farm workers will be prioritized
-Farm workers based on a Maine farm affected by PFAS
-Indigenous food and medicine growers in Maine providing for community
Farmers and farmworkers will directly receive checks for the amounts they request. Please provide the name for the check and address where you would like the check sent.
As farmers wellness is broadly defined, there is a wide range of eligible uses for this fund including therapy, childcare, acupuncture, gift cards to purchase uncontaminated food and/or water, massage, traditional healers, and other supports that would help reduce stress at this time. If testing for PFAS contamination will reduce stress you are experiencing, please see the specific testing fund application here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdB_t9GiFjeY5UUaX8BQql5TUA2CXH6awFa9E2POGWv7kkJbw/closedformAll answers on this form are confidential to those administering the fund which includes a limited staff from MOFGA and UMCE.
