Thank you everyone for a great panel and Q&A session at the Spring WCB Network Meeting! If you would like to contact one of the panelists with questions or to learn more about how they are working to address PFAS contamination, please use the following contact information:

  • Sarah Woodbury, Director of Advocacy at Defend Our Health. Email: swoodbury@defendourhealth.org. Sarah provided updates and insights on state and federal PFAS legislation and political advocacy.

  • Rick Kersbergen, Extension Professor of Sustainable Dairy and Forage Systems at UMaine Cooperative Extension. Email: richard.kersbergen@maine.edu. Rick covered the history of PFAS in Maine and how the chemicals came to be spread on farms.

  • Tricia Rouleau, Farm Network Director and PFAS Response Coordinator at Maine Farmland Trust. Email: trouleau@mainefarmlandtrust.org. Phone: 207-899-5515. Tricia talked about support and relief efforts for farmers, specifically the Maine PFAS Emergency Relief Fund and the PFAS Farmer Wellness Fund spearheaded by Maine Farmland Trust and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) to provide immediate assistance to farmers impacted by PFAS.

Published March 10, 2022

Invite: PFAS Panel at Quarterly WCB Network Meeting

Join us for an online community conversation on PFAS contamination in Waldo County on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 from 4-5pm. A panel of guests will discuss how PFAS are impacting our area. As Waldo County Bounty’s PFAS statement outlines, PFAS are threatening the health and livelihoods of local farmers, as well as our county’s ability to grow our own safe food.

Waldo County Bounty welcomes a panel of guests who will share information, perspectives, and experiences related to the PFAS crisis in Waldo County and beyond:

  • Adam Nordell and Johanna Davis, owners/operators of Songbird Farm in Unity, ME. Adam and Johanna will share their perspectives as farmers who are facing PFAS contamination.

  • Sarah Woodbury, Director of Advocacy at Defend Our Health. Sarah will provide updates and insights on state and federal PFAS legislation and political advocacy.

  • Rick Kersbergen, Extension Professor of Sustainable Dairy and Forage Systems at UMaine Cooperative Extension. Rick will cover the history of PFAS in Maine and how the chemicals came to be spread on farms.

  • Tricia Rouleau, Farm Network Director and PFAS Response Coordinator at Maine Farmland Trust. Tricia will talk about support and relief efforts for farmers, specifically the Maine PFAS Emergency Relief Fund and the PFAS Farmer Wellness Fund spearheaded by Maine Farmland Trust and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) to provide immediate assistance to farmers impacted by PFAS.

At the meeting, we will also share how Waldo County Bounty is responding to this evolving crisis, including how we expect PFAS contamination to impact our Farm-to-Pantry and Gleaning Programs this season and the policy initiatives we have taken up to address this issue. There is still so much to learn about the scope of this crisis, but the interconnection, transparency, and creativity of our local food system will serve us all in finding some solutions together.

We are looking forward to a robust discussion of the latest PFAS developments in our area. Please email waldocountybounty@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. We hope to see you there!

About Waldo County Bounty: A nonprofit hunger relief organization, Waldo County Bounty is committed to improving access to locally-grown foods for people experiencing food insecurity in Waldo County, Maine. Waldo County Bounty fosters a countywide network of organizations with a shared goal of equitable access to fresh, locally grown food and orchestrates cross-sector planning, collaboration, and fundraising initiatives. In 2021, Waldo County Bounty distributed over 70,000 pounds of farm-grown produce to hunger relief agencies through farm purchases and gleaning. For more information, visit waldocountybounty.me and like and follow Waldo County Bounty on Facebook and Instagram.