King Corn

king-corn.jpgYou know that old saying, “You are what you eat”? Well, you might be surprised to find out that if we are what we eat, then many of us are made out of corn! Not so surprising when you consider how many food items contain high fructose corn syrup or that most cattle are fed corn rather than grass. In fact, according to the Corn Growers Association, it’s hard to find anything in the grocery store that doesn’t contain corn. Just check out their loooong list of corn-containing grocery items to see what I mean. Maybe it’s just me, but this factoid kinda freaks me out. If you want to know how corn became so ubiquitous or how its widespread cultivation is negatively affecting rainforests, biodiversity, family farming, and your health, then check out the new documentary, King Corn, which premieres on PBS beginning April 15, 2008. Grab yourself a bag of popcorn (or not), sit back, and watch this entertaining film featuring recent Yale graduates Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis as they trek to Iowa, purchase a plot of land, grow their own corn, and uncover the ugly truth about how this seemingly innocuous crop is profoundly affecting our health and our environment.

Find It Here: King Corn

Congratulations to Erika, Louise, Melonie, Tara and Stephanie, who have each won a copy of the King Corn DVD!