Restrictions have been imposed on a dairy farm in Stabroek after PFAS was discovered in meat

Is the damage recoverable?

This news was announced yesterday by Stabroek Mayor Rick France (N-VA). “I hope one thing. That the farmers will get big compensation for this. They are not the cause, they are just the victim. I hope they finally prove that there is a causal relationship between animals getting infected, and that the cause lies somewhere other than the farmer himself. He literally fell down.” From the sky and those who blew it into the air are responsible.”

Since there are various sources of PFAS in and around the port of Antwerp, it will not be easy for agricultural companies in Stabroek to recover the damages they have incurred from the counterparty. The FASFC has already asked the cattle farm in question to find the source of the contamination.

A lot of stress due to uncertainty

According to the Food Agency, there are four other agricultural enterprises in Stabroek with an increased risk of PFAS exposure. These are closely monitored. Meat carcasses are given priority for sampling in slaughterhouses. Soil samples from the municipality are also being examined. Farmers can then start working on these results at the end of May. At the same time, it causes a lot of pressure to farmers in the region. “We’ve also been involved in a PFAS risk analysis, but haven’t heard anything yet. What does that mean in practice?” They wonder.

In the risk analysis, the FASFC inquires, among other things, about animal shelters, whether the company is grazing and what the water supply looks like. In this way, communications can be made and the source of contamination can be detected.