Response 10: Consequences of the Corn

Mattie Bly

King Corn is an entertaining documentary about two best friends that decide to grow an acre of corn in the middle of Iowa. The documentary is compiled over one year that portrays the history of corn in America and how the two friend’s relationship with their crops changes overtime. Ian Chaney and Curt Ellis, the filmmaker’s, get their first spark of interest in corn when they learn that their bodies are primarily made out of corn.
They convince a farmer to lend them an acre of land and set off to find corn for planting, heavy machinery, human labor, and a lot of
chemicals. With time and effort, the filmmaker’s successfully grow their crops only to find that they can’t consume or enjoy their creation. They learn that their crop can be easily traced and ultimately lead to animal feed or corn syrup.

Almost every product we consume is derived from corn. From desserts to meat to chips, corn can be found. It is usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup or corn-based animal feeds. These creations made from corn are harmful to not just humans, but to other animals and the environment. Curt and Ian learn that if too much corn feed is fed to cattle, they will die from acidosis. High fructose corn syrup also contributes to obesity and uses a lot of chemicals in its creation.

King Corn shows us how we are what we eat and its negative impacts on our body. It clearly portrays its effects on the environment and even on modern day farmers. It is enjoyable, knowledgeable and effective with to the fact that it is done by two best friends instead of a large corporation. With this documentary and an increase in knowledge on modern day agriculture, American’s may think twice about their food and where it comes from.

 

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