The State Journal-Register has an article today featuring complaints by the National Corn Growers Association about a new documentary called King Corn. I had the chance to see an advance copy of the film a few months ago and I fully expected big agribusiness to object to how their industry is portrayed.
The plot of King Corn is that two city-slickers from Boston move to Iowa to grow an acre of corn. Their goal is to find out where the end product of what they grow is eventually used. The audience learns along with the film-makers about modern farming and the agriculture industry.
The SJ-R article states: "The NCGA says the film doesn't show how hard farmers work, nor does it give enough attention to efforts to develop new markets for corn."
I disagree with both of those portrayals of the film. First, I think it did recognize that farming isn't easy work and one of the more interesting aspects of the movie was showing how farming methods have changed over the years. I also think it very sympathetically explains how the deck is stacked against the average farmer unless they rely on subsidies.
Efforts by the corn industry to create new markets and increase demand for corn was the most powerful and surprising message I took from King Corn. Before the movie I hadn't given much thought to the fact that corn byproducts are everywhere and in just about everything. Going out for a meal that doesn't have a corn product in it takes serious effort. Just take a sip of soda and you've already failed.
I didn't realize, as most Americans don't, the extent to which the government takes action to increase consumption of corn and corn byproducts. By the end of the movie I realized how much the promotion of ethanol for so many years is one more in a long line of efforts to increase the price of corn.
The article quotes one of the film's creators saying: "I can't tell you how unlike a Michael Moore film this is." Well, that's true. Michael Moore's movies are more entertaining and do a better job of making a point.
King Corn isn't a thriller but I learned a lot. Anyone who supports organic food and small family farms will especially appreciate its message. It has its funny and charming moments as well. It's definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.
Here's a trailer: