Australian TV report on 2,4-D containing excessive dioxin levels may be a "double-edge sword"

On July 22, Australian ABC's 4 Corners program reported their investigation on elevated levels of dangerous dioxins in a generic version of 2,4-D. Whoever endorsed it or rejoices over this 4 Corners program has apparently no understanding of the terms "double-edge sword" and "back-firing". They obviously did not think it through to see what the larger consequences it will lead to and the implications for the industry as a whole.
 
In my viewpoint, the program organizers or producers could have gone out to the market, sampled a generic 2,4-D or two as well as those from major Crop Life members', and then show to the public the analysis results but they did not. Instead, they picked just one, Sanonda Australia's, and left Crop Life Australia's CEO to say that "we need to ensure that we deal with reliable suppliers". Surely the farmers and public ought to know whether the so-called "reputable suppliers'" products also contained dioxin or not, regardless of what the levels are. And why have a segment of an interview done in 1978  with the late Robert Telford, an industry leader at the time, on the issue of dioxin in 2,4-5 T when there are living ones to interview? It is surely unfair to him in that he couldn't rise from his grave to clarify and defend his statements made back in 1978! And then, all the brands and drums of 2,4-D products shown in this program are generic ones…all fingers are pointing to Chinese-made products again, reinforcing the notion that "cheap and nasty Chinese chemicals polluting Australia"… again!
 
Agronomiq have, through their submission dated January 3, 2013, already informed the Australian Customs that Nufarm has been exporting premium "Low-Dioxin" content 2,4-D to America and then importing cheaper "Normal-Dioxin" content 2,4-D into Australia. Apparently Nufarm did not rebut or refute this! If this assertion of Agronomiq and non-rebuttal of Nufarm were included in the 4 Corners program, it would surely result in public relations (PR) nightmares for Nufarm. This is regardless of the fact that APVMA allows the latter to be sold in Australia. Of course, because of the scare or stink that the 4 Corners 2,4-D/Dioxin program has created with the Australian public and the farming community, this will also become a PR nightmare for the APVMA too. In the minds of the public: "What makes the APVMA think that American lives and their environment are more valuable than Australian ones by not following their USA counterpart, the EPA, in allowing only Low-Dioxin level 2,4-D in?". If what Agronomiq submitted to the Australian Customs is not true, then, Nufarm should defend themselves rigorously.
 
Back in the 80's when I worked for Uniroyal (now called Chemtura), our ALAR (daminozide) was killed off the market by actress Meryl Streep and not just by bad science alone, the precursor to the product's demise. Based on a cancer research study on the product by a researcher, one would have to eat the equivalent of 7 MT (could be some other crazy figures…I can't remember it now) of ALAR treated apples to arrive at the same doze fed to the rats used in that study. Did consumers care about this scientific and rationale explanation? NO! When Meryl Streep publicly announced that she was not going to feed her baby with apple juice derived from ALAR treated apples, that was it…No more demand for ALAR on apples and fruit crops!
 
So, it is bad product and industry stewardship to say "we need to deal with reliable suppliers only" and "mine is purer than other people's". When public emotions are stirred up, they don't want to know what level of dioxin and what types of dioxin in a product are considered safe! They just want to know if your product has ANY dioxin or not.

Chemical Time Bomb, reported by Janine Cohen and presented by Kerry O'Brien, went on air in Australia on Monday 22nd July at 8.30pm on ABC1. The program can be viewed at abc.net.au/4corners.