Tuesday, April 2, 2013
King Corn
I enjoyed the genuine and straight-forwardness of this documentary. After checking out the King Corn website, I discovered that in the last 15 years, taxpayers paid corn farmers more than 77 billion dollars! I also learned that while the prices of vegetables and fruits increased by 30%, the prices of sodas went down by 34%. In the film, we are presented with lots of information about American farming, some of which I didn't know of prior to viewing. For example, 10% of farmers collect more than 75% of subsidies. Corn subsidies have made our food cheaper, but the quality has decreased significantly as well. In the documentary, we are introduced to two friends who plan to grow a corn crop. We are taken through the process of corn from it's origin to how it ends up in almost every food in the middle section of the grocery store (the good stuff). Throughout, they talk with other farmers in Iowa, hear interesting stories, and compare their findings. One farmer they interview gives his cows antibiotics so they can process all the corn sooner, which is done because it is apparently cheaper than feeding the cows grass. The film was consistent and exposed how detrimental the genetically modified industrialized corn that is used for high fructose corn syrup and cattle feed. Prior to watching, I had no idea that this corn actually kills off other strains of corn! Corn isn't being used the same way and it's really taking a toll not only on our health, but the animals as well. The government has turned growing products into a business. The subsidies were supposed to assist farmers in growing food to benefit us, but it's doing the opposite!
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I thought it was fascinating, and slightly horrifying, about how corn is overtaking the world! It was sickening to hear about how cows aren't designed to process so much corn feed, and that they die quicker because of it. It's also interesting to hear that on this diet, most of their "beef" is actually just fat. I did not appreciate the part where one of the cattle farmers said that if the consumers asked for grassfed beef, they'd change their feeding habits. I don't believe that for a second, because especially now people are trying to be more conscientious about their food, and are asking for things such as that.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about how it definitely is cheaper to feed these animals corn feed and the government is the one who is prospering off of it.
I enjoyed the differenttone of this documentary. It was very light-hearted at the beginning at the film, but as they realized where their corn was going and what it was being used for, the documentary became more serious without losing all of its humor or uniqueness. It was very different from some of the documentaries that we have watched where it seems like the world is coming to an end.
ReplyDeleteThat meme could not be more accurate! Just about anything I pick up in the grocery store, "high fructose corn syrup" is in the first five of the ingredient list. It's nice that we can read all of the ingredients that's in our food, but a lot of times the words aren't in our vernacular. Who knows what "Zanthum gum" really is? It can be derived from corn, soy, or dairy. If this snuck into their meal, it could really harm a person with a food allergy.
ReplyDeleteThe meme is hilarious and so true. I also like that the documentary was straight forward.
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