Food Inc.

There is not a lot of new information here that hasn't been already published in Fast Food Nation or Omnivore's Dilemma. In fact, much of the documentary is interviews with the authors of those fine books. The one new take is the discussion of GMO corn created by Monsanto to be be Round-up resistant. Apparently, Monsanto (as owner of this GMO DNA) can legally prevent farmers from saving any corn seed and replanting it the next year. Instead, farmers must buy new seed each year. This is astounding. It is anathema to farmers to not be able to use a portion of the harvest as seed. I can see how Monsanto needs to make money on their investment, but there must be another way (notice that I am not following this outrage with any brilliant ideas).

Otherwise, the film reinforces the notion that corporate farming is a big deal and a big problem. For the pessimist out there, you may not want to see this film because it will simply send you down the road of despair, realizing that their really is no long term hope for civilization. For the optimist, you must hang on to the fact that the farmers interviewed state "Consumers must demand better food, and we will produce it". My own personal feeling of hopelessness comes to light when I think about how few people in the U.S. have the ability (either financially, or energy wise) to demand better food by purchasing better food. It is just not easy to do for every purchase.

If you haven't read / seen any of the other expose's of corporate farming, you may as well start here.
4 stars (out of 5)