This Is Your Farm on Forever Chemicals

This Is Your Farm on Forever Chemicals Episode 25 of Unconfined, in which author Mariah Blake tells the maddening tale of how a major federal science program and a pair of huge corporations together generated perhaps the biggest toxic-waste mess in history; and Adam Nordell recounts how it destroyed his organic farm in Maine. 00:00 – Intro 01:37 – What are PFAS and how do they enter our food system? 02:34 – Introducing guests: journalist Mariah Blake & former farmer Adam Nordell 05:42 – Government’s role in PFAS origins and early toxicity knowledge 09:38 – From government labs to DuPont & 3M: commercialization of PFAS 10:48 – “No one thought this might be a bad idea?” 12:16 – Adam’s story – Songbird Farm and PFAS contamination in Maine 15:16 – Investigating contamination & aftermath 16:55 – Compensation and state response for affected farmers 18:58 – How long has the EPA known about PFAS in sludge? 22:48 – Still no federal regulations (only Maine acts) 23:06 – Why Maine became a PFAS hotspot 23:32 – Industrial sources: paper mills, manufacturing waste, and sludge 24:41 – PFAS in consumer products & firefighting foam contamination 26:29 – Background contamination isn’t “safe” 27:21 – Health limits and the scale of sludge contamination in Maine 28:36 – EPA findings: “no safe level” of PFAS exposure 29:23 – Policy discussion: regulatory failure and what should be done 30:02 – Adam on farm sludge regulations and reforms 33:38 – Will other states see the same farm contamination crisis? 36:12 – Turning off the tap: can regulation stop PFAS pollution? 42:03 – How consumers can support farmers and push for change 43:33 – Building solidarity between consumers and farmers 44:18 – If PFAS never leave – what can we do now? 45:02 – Policy ideas: sludge bans, water filtration, and consumer actions 46:19 – Everyday steps to reduce PFAS exposure 47:46 – Avoiding contaminated fish and finding safe products 48:21 – Resources: Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) 48:46 – Closing thoughts and thanks to Mariah & Adam 49:22 – Outro Unconfined Podcast US consumers enjoy access to a veritable cornucopia of meat. We consume an annual average of more than 220 pounds of chicken, pork, and beef per person—one of the highest rates of carnivory in history. What makes it possible is a factory-like model of meat production that took root in Midwestern stockyards in the late 19th century and boomed after World War II. For decades, the transnational meatpacking giants that dominate US production have been exporting this model to countries across the globe. But it's not all about just widely available burgers, tacos, and nuggets. What are the model's downsides—the impacts on communities, workers, ecosystems, and public health? And are there better ways to farm animals? In Unconfined Podcast, veteran meat industry observers and CLF staffers Tom Philpott and Christine Grillo dig into those questions, interviewing the researchers, community organizers, journalists, and farmers documenting or experiencing the ills of our dominant mode of meat agriculture—and those who are exploring alternatives.