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King Corn is a documentary film released in October 2007 that follows college friends Ian Cheney and Curtis Ellis (directed by Aaron Woolf) as they move from Boston to Greene, Iowa to grow and farm an acre of corn. Coincidentally, the trip also takes them back to where both of their families have roots. In the process, Cheney and Ellis examine the role that the increasing production of corn has had for American society, spotlighting the role of government subsidies in encouraging the huge amount of corn grown. Furthermore, they trace the food economy back to the history of corn in America to identify the source of the foods.
The film shows how industrialization in corn has all but eliminated the image of the family farm, which is being replaced by larger industrial farms. Cheney and Ellis suggest that this trend reflects a larger industrialization of the North American food system. Indeed, almost all food in the grocery stores could be traced back to corn, either as corn syrup or as the animal feed. As was outlined in the film, decisions relating to which crops are grown and how they are grown are based on government manipulated economic considerations rather than their true economic, environmental, or social ramifications. This is demonstrated in the film by the production of high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient found in many cheap food products, including fast food. A study done at Princeton University found that the same amount of high fructose corn syrup consumed caused more of a weight gain in rats than regular table sugar. In fact, Cheney and Ellis realize that this production is what makes their generation the first with a diminished life expectancy compared to the previous. They identify that there is a correlation between the increasing obesity rate and the increasing production of corn syrup.
With the new advancement and demand for corn, the traditional farming industry is being replaced by larger corporate farms. Throughout the film, the two college friends hope to increase awareness of the impending problem of the production of corn and its byproducts.
Original Release
10/12/2007
US Release
10/12/2007
Links
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|
| Bob Bledsoe | Self - Bledsoe Cattle Company |
| Earl L. Butz | Himself / Self - Former Secretary of Agriculture |
| Dawn Cheney | Self - Relative |
| Don Clikeman | Self - Farmer |
| Elna Clikeman | Self - Farmer |
| Loren Cordain | Self - University of Colorado |
| Audrae Erickson | Self - Corn Refiners Association |
| Dean Jarrett | Self - Cattle Rancher |
| Sue Jarrett | Self - Cattle Rancher |
| Rich Johnson | Self - Farmer |
Directors
Writers
Ian Cheney, Aaron Woolf, Curtis Ellis, Jeffrey K. Miller
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|
| Bob Bledsoe | Self - Bledsoe Cattle Company |
| Earl L. Butz | Himself / Self - Former Secretary of Agriculture |
| Dawn Cheney | Self - Relative |
| Don Clikeman | Self - Farmer |
| Elna Clikeman | Self - Farmer |
| Loren Cordain | Self - University of Colorado |
| Audrae Erickson | Self - Corn Refiners Association |
| Dean Jarrett | Self - Cattle Rancher |
| Sue Jarrett | Self - Cattle Rancher |
| Rich Johnson | Self - Farmer |
| Farida Khan | Self - Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn |
| Steve Macko | Self - University of Virginia |
| Al Marth | Self - Certified Crop Advisor |
| Scott McGregor | Self - Farmer |
| Fray Mendez | Self - Cab Driver |
| Sabita Moktan | Self - Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn |
| Michael Pollan | Himself / Self - University of California |
| Chuck Pyatt | Self - Farmer |
| Jack Reid | Self - Reid's Funeral Chapel |
| Ricardo Salvador | Self - Iowa State University |
Producers
| Name | Role |
|---|
| Aaron Woolf | Producer |
| Ian Cheney | Producer |
| Curtis Ellis | Producer |
Editors
Clips
King Corn: Harvest
King Corn: I'm Growing Crap
King Corn: Everything On Your Plate Is Corn
