LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) today announced an innovative new research grant program to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination on Michigan agricultural lands.  

To pursue this funding opportunity, qualified researchers must submit a letter of intent to MDARD by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, April 20, 2026.  

“With this announcement, MDARD is one of the first state agriculture agencies in the nation to create a research grant program dedicated to understanding how PFAS influences agriculture systems,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring. “These new grants will help protect Michigan’s soil, water and food supply by enhancing our understanding of PFAS sources and PFAS uptake in crops and livestock and, most importantly, help identify how we can mitigate or manage the effects of these chemicals.” 

“This new grant program exemplifies MDARD’s commitment to using the best available science and innovative research to further strengthen Michigan’s food and agriculture sector,” said Dr. Laura Johnson, MDARD’s Chief Science Officer. “Today’s grants will help build a framework for understanding the movement of PFAS and other emerging contaminants within agriculture systems and mitigating such contamination if it occurs.” 

MDARD’s new PFAS research grant program offers individual awards of up to $400,000 for projects focused on the study of:   

• PFAS sources and soil dynamics 

• PFAS uptake, storage and availability in crops 

• PFAS uptake, storage and availability in livestock 

• Mitigating and remediating PFAS contamination on agricultural lands 

This grant opportunity is open to qualified researchers at any university or college, including community and tribal colleges. At least one of each project’s principal investigators must be a researcher at an institution of higher learning based in Michigan. The PFAS research grants do not require matching funds.    

MDARD will promptly assess letters of intent received by the deadline for relevance to the research priorities and project feasibility. Upon review, qualified applicants will be invited to submit a full research proposal, which must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on June 1, 2026. MDARD will organize an expert-led Joint Evaluation Committee to assess full proposals in June 2026 following the criteria outlined in the request for proposals.  

Additional criteria for letters of intent and supplemental materials for the full research proposal can be found on MDARD’s PFAS research grants web page. Prospective PFAS research grant applicants may email questions regarding proposal development, submission or topic areas to MDARD-Research@michigan.gov by May 18.  

PFAS are a large group of long-lasting, human-made chemicals that are classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an emerging contaminant. These chemicals have been used throughout the United States in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products, including waterproof clothing, upholstery, personal care products and fire-fighting foams. Scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain types of PFAS may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.   

The new PFAS research grants join a suite of other research and education grants that MDARD offers in fields ranging from horticulture to farm innovation. Since the start of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration in 2019, MDARD has delivered more than $250 million of grants to strengthen Michigan’s food and agriculture industry, advance agriculture research and education, protect Michigan’s natural resources and build rural infrastructure.   

For information about other funding opportunities, visit MDARD’s grant web page.   

Background on MDARD's Office of Agricultural Science and Research 

Dr. Johnson joined MDARD in October 2024 to lead the Office of Agricultural Science and Research. In this role, Johnson is the country's first Chief Science Officer to be embedded within a state agriculture agency, which is a testament to MDARD's commitment to fostering improved environmental outcomes and sustaining agricultural resiliency through the implementation of adaptive, science-backed strategies.

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