Taranaki farmers’ herbicide cancer claims reveal potential widespread issue

The case of a terminally ill Taranaki farmer, who successfully overturned ACC’s repeated denials of compensation for cancer linked to exposure to the herbicide 2,4,5-T, may signal a broader issue affecting others in the agricultural sector.

The independent review of the farmer’s claim increased his compensation from $66,000 to $161,000 after ACC’s toxicology panel initially rejected him three times.

Lawyer Merlyn Remiens told state media that another Taranaki farmer, also exposed to 2,4,5-T, has since had his claim accepted, suggesting that many others could be at risk of similar diagnoses. Both farmers had prolonged exposure to the herbicide, which was manufactured in New Plymouth from 1948 to 1987 and contained dioxins linked to cancers and birth defects.

This development revives concerns about the long-term health impacts of 2,4,5-T, a key ingredient in the notorious Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War. While New Zealand veterans exposed to Agent Orange received ex gratia payments in 2006, farmers like these claimants have only recently begun to see recognition of their suffering.

The second farmer, diagnosed at age 51 after intermittent exposure over several decades, highlights how even lower levels of contact with these herbicides can have devastating consequences.