King Corn

Thanks to Boulder County Going Local, I watched the film King Corn last night. It's a fantastic complement to Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Let's face it, that book is pretty long and very dense; it's a great book, but not everyone is going to crack it. This film presents similar information is a more digestible, entertaining way. It's not full of answers, but it outlines the changes in our agricultural system over the past 50 years very carefully, through interviews with scientists, farmers, and doctors. Did you know that 1 in 3 children born in the year 2000 will be diagnosed with diabetes over their lifetime? That we are the first generation in a long time with a shorter life expectancy than our parents? That's because we're mainlining high fructose corn syrup, in the form of sodas, juices, and junk food additives.

I could tell you more about it, but you should really see it for yourself. Order it on their website, Netflix, or attend a screening near you.