This page is updated weekly. Last update: October 28, 2024
For over 100 years, Perdue has been more than just a business in this community — we’ve been neighbors. Part of being a good neighbor means ensuring the safety and well-being of the communities where we live and work.
Recently, groundwater tests at our Perdue AgriBusiness facility located at 6906 Zion Church Road, Salisbury, Maryland have revealed elevated levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). To further investigate this issue and better understand the situation, the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) has requested that we test certain properties near this facility.
It’s important to note that the source of the PFAS has not yet been determined.
As a company committed to protecting this region, and in cooperation with both MDE and the Wicomico County Department of Health (WCDH), Perdue AgriBusiness is working with independent PFAS experts at Langan Engineering and Environmental Services to conduct this testing.
We are committed to protecting the communities in Maryland. Throughout this process, we will maintain transparent and timely communication, including through this webpage.
Perdue AgriBusiness is working with experts from Langan Engineering and Environmental Services to test the private well water of properties within the half-mile radius recommended and established by the Maryland Department of Environment. This includes approximately 550 homes.
The yellow outline represents the approximate half-mile radius around the Perdue AgriBusiness facility in which the company is offering free well testing to homes that use private wells.
Click to Expand
As of October 28, 2024, this is the status of our well water sampling and testing efforts in the MDE-designated zone around our facility in Salisbury, Maryland.
Because PFAS are commonly occurring chemicals, the tests check for instances where the presence of chemicals exceeds the levels that the EPA has established for public drinking water. There are three potential outcomes for the test results. Below, we’ve indicated what each outcome means and your next steps.
We understand you may have questions about this effort. We are committed to maintaining transparent and timely communication with our neighbors through this process. Below is a list of frequently asked questions. For additional information, please contact Perdue AgriBusiness Consumer Affairs at 866-866-3703 for assistance.
As part of this effort, we are testing the private well water of properties within the approximate half-mile radius recommended and established by the Maryland Department of Environment. Please refer to the map above to view the official testing area.
Please use this link to complete the online questionnaire. Our experts from Langan Engineering and Environmental Services (Langan) will contact you to select a convenient time and date to collect a sample.
Langan is working to collect samples as quickly and effectively as possible. Every property within the prescribed radius that completes the questionnaire and consents to testing will be contacted to schedule well water sampling.
Perdue is currently testing the private well water of properties within the official radius prescribed by MDE. These tests are designed to determine if PFAS exist in the area groundwater, and if so, the nature and extent of such chemicals.
Test results will be mailed to property owners as soon as they become available.
Perdue AgriBusiness is offering to install treatment systems to treat the drinking water supply for PFAS, where appropriate, at no cost to property owners or occupants. Langan will contact property owners with additional details regarding the installation of a point-of-entry treatment system.
Perdue AgriBusiness is providing free bottled water to properties within the testing area throughout this process. To request bottled water, please call 866-866-3703.
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The term encompasses thousands of man-made substances that have been in widespread use for decades and can be found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. They have also been found in water, air, fish, and soil at many locations throughout the country.
The source of PFAS in groundwater at the Perdue AgriBusiness facility has yet to be determined. We are committed to conducting a thorough review and are looking closely at all possibilities for the elevated PFAS levels, including other potential sources in the area.
Information about the effects of PFAS, including potential health risks, is available from the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Additional information on PFAS is available through The Maryland Department of the Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
We are committed to protecting the communities in Maryland. Throughout this process, we will maintain transparent and timely communication, including through this webpage. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
For questions about water sampling or the questionnaire you received, please call 866-866-3703
For questions about PFAS, please contact The Maryland Department of Health, 410-767-6802
Read our Company Stewardship Report to see the steps we are taking to become the most trusted name in food and agricultural products.
Learn More
