Freeman responds to De Vries' request for help and identifies the blip on the chart as Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), a flame retardant used in Firemaster extinguishers. At last the answer is in his hands. Dr. Freeman visits him with further information, following further research into PBBs. Exposure symptoms match what they already know, and include memory loss and possible cancer. They find that the substance that has poisoned his livestock can be passed on to humans by eating beef and drinking milk. This is clearly shown by his family's poor health. His wife can no longer breast feed her baby, as that too would pass on any PBB she has in her body. The substance is stored in body fat and is cumulative. It's firmly in the food chain, and the long-term effects are uncertain, as there is no known way to remove PBB once it has been ingested. After being met with skepticism for so long, De Vries finds he is now bogged down in bureaucratic inertia, even with the support of Dr. Freeman and his findings. He travels the state in his spare time, gathering all the information he can about the spread of the contaminant. He finds another farmer like himself, dispirited and without hope after a long struggle with the MFB and official policy. He too has lost cattle and his family is also in poor health; and he has carried the burden of guilt that he is somehow directly responsible for all that has happened to him. The source of the contamination is revealed as the film draws to its close. In the MFB mill near Battle Creek, Michigan, the proteins that are added to animal feed, and the chemicals (PBB) used in fire retardant, are being stored in identically coloured paper sacks, on pallets placed side by side. No-one can tell at a glance which is which, and it becomes evident that they could easily have been switched in error. The film concludes a year after the initial outbreak, with the killing of De Vries’ entire herd, as the animals are led into a deep open pit, shot, and bulldozed over with soil. Cast Awards and nominations References External links 1981 films 1981 drama films 1981 television films American films based on actual events Drama films based on actual events American drama television films Films about agriculture Films about farmers Films based on non-fiction