BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 29, 2022
Mainers who have purchased food from local farms certified as organic have felt safe knowing the label meant they were getting a chemical-free product. But the discovery of high levels of forever chemicals in soil and groundwater is throwing into question the safety of food grown or raised in the state. The growing uncertainty of how widespread the problem is throughout the state is creating a regulatory nightmare for growers. Whether the food is certified organic or not, there are no standards that clarify when it is unsafe to eat. Maine became the first state to establish thresholds for forever chemicals in food when it did so with milk and beef. But similar thresholds do not exist for other foods such as produce and grains. Any lasting solution hinges on the state or federal government establishing specific food safety guidelines.