MSU-led team receives $400K MDARD grant to study PFAS in agricultural fields
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EmailResearchers from MSU and Purdue University will work with farmers whose land is affected by PFAS contamination.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic compounds used in a variety of household and industrial products for decades. Worldwide research has linked PFAS to health and environmental concerns, with one of the primary focus areas on agriculture.
To better understand how PFAS moves in agricultural systems and develop mitigation strategies, a team featuring researchers and outreach specialists from Michigan State University and Purdue University has been awarded $400,000 from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).
Subhasis Giri, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, leads the four-year project that began in September 2026.
Giri is an expert in hydrology and water quality in natural and man-made systems. He joined MSU in 2025 as one of six faculty members supported through the Agricultural Resiliency Program, a partnership among MSU, the Michigan Plant Coalition and MDARD geared toward long-term plant agriculture challenges with extreme weather and water.
“We are very thankful to MDARD for their support of our work on this issue of growing importance,” Giri said. “PFAS is a global health threat that requires additional research, particularly within agriculture as it relates to movement through fields and ultimately crop uptake. Our goal is to help affected farmers navigate an increasingly difficult situation while protecting public health and reducing environmental impact.”
The grant is part of a larger $1.9 million funding initiative around PFAS in agriculture, which is supporting five projects through MDARD’s Office of Agricultural Science and Research. The projects are aimed at strengthening Michigan’s food and agriculture industry, improving environmental outcomes and increasing agricultural resiliency.
“MDARD is investing in research that will strengthen our ability to protect Michiganders, our land, and our livestock from PFAS and other emerging contaminants,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring in a news release about the funding. “By better understanding how these chemicals move through agriculture systems, we can implement measures to reduce their impact. The grants reflect MDARD’s commitment to investing in proactive science and research to protect Michigan’s food and agriculture sector now and in the future.”
For the MSU-led study, Giri will partner with corn and soybean growers whose fields have been found to contain PFAS. The team will take soil samples to establish a baseline concentration of the contaminants, track movement through soil and water, and eventually set up demonstration plots to uncover the rate of transfer from soil to corn and soybean plants as they grow.
In addition, researchers will explore how practices such as planting cover crops and reducing tillage can stunt PFAS movement within fields, as well as monitoring groundwater and runoff.
Joining Giri on the project is Linda Lee, a distinguished professor and PFAS expert in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University. Lee’s laboratory will test plant tissue, soil and water samples to analyze PFAS concentration throughout the experiments.
The team will also produce a variety of outreach resources such as fact sheets, online information, presentations at industry meetings and direct farmer interactions. Faith Cullens-Nobis, an MSU Extension educator who works with PFAS-affected farms through the MSU Center for PFAS Research, will lead outreach efforts.
“It’s becoming more common that farmers are unable to continue growing crops or producing animals due to PFAS contamination of their land,” Giri said. “This is a problem that affects health, the environment, food safety and security, and the livelihoods of those who produce food. We’re trying to develop solutions so farmers can get back to farming.”
Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and agriculture to natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.
