King Corn

I just watched the documentary King Corn, broadcast as part of PBS's series Independent Lens. One part that particularly caught my attention was the filmmakers' interview with Earl Butz, agriculture secretary under Nixon and Ford. Butz, who died earlier this year, described how he totally flipped the objective of American agriculture policy, stopping payments to farmers not to plant, and instead subsidizing farmers to grow corn -- much more corn than the market needed. It's only government subsidies that allow farmers now to turn a profit.

Americans definitely enjoy a bountiful harvest, but at what cost? Is the money we save by enjoying cheap burgers, sodas and various items fried in corn oil actually a loan that gets repaid later in the form of medical and lifestyle costs of obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes?

The documentary is just a few shades more credible than Super Size Me, but it raises a good point: What are we really choosing to put in our bodies? This past weekend I've been consuming a lot of the processed junk I stockpiled (Hostess cupcakes do have an impressive shelf life for a baked good) and I think I can actually feel myself turning into junk again. It especially didn't help that I caught myself watching this documentary while drinking HFCS-sweetened soda and Doritos chips.

Ugh.