brooklyn green event recap, part 3: the film

This is part 3 of my recap of Green Brooklyn 2008 (scroll down for parts 1 and 2).
There was a small turnout for this screening, but I think it had an impact on everyone there.

King Corn


Everyone should see this movie. For real. I read a lot of stuff about commodity corn in The Omnivore's Dilemma. But seeing it on the screen, hearing the farmers talk about how they are producing "crap" (and not giving a damn), seeing a small town in Iowa transform from being centered around family farms to industrialized agriculture -- it's frightening stuff. It gets bigger and bigger, a monoculture that's not even edible by humans without being highly processed, that's mostly feed for animals in factory farms.

The main goal and outcome of this agricultural giant: drastically reduce food prices for consumers by flooding the market with corn (thanks in great part to Earl Butz, Secretary of Agriculture in the 1970s). What it's helped create: pollution, sick animals in confined feed operations, and an obesity and diabetes epidemic. It's a moral, economic, and environmental issue worthy of everyone's attention.

Ah, what am I going on about -- just watch the movie!

Oh and...
I think we can all make conscious decisions to change the landscape for the better. Choose foods and drinks without high fructose corn syrup, eat grass-fed and humanely raised beef (or go vegetarian), support your local farmers by visiting farmer's markets. It may cost a little more now, but what you're paying for is a healthy future for yourself and for future generations.

Related posts
What the HCFS?!!!
My own private omnivore's dilemma