King Corn is a movie about “Two friends, one acre of corn and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.” Directors Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis were college buddies who decided to leave the city, move to farm in Iowa and grow corn, in order to find out about the crop that is used in everything we eat, from hamburgers, to soda, to donuts. 9 months (and 31,000 seeds, a 10,000-pound harvest of corn) later, the crop yield was so huge it would be able to yield 57,348 cans of soda, 3,894 corn-fed hamburgers, 2,301 pounds of bacon or 6,726 boxes of frosted corn flake. The two filmmakers put the corn into Cheney and Ellis used the corn to feed livestock, and turned the rest into ethanol and sweeteners, such as corn syrup. Curious about how much corn they were ingesting, Cheney and Ellis got their hair “corn tested” and discovered the food made up 58% and 53% of their diets.

Unfortunately, the use of corn in practically everything we eat and or drink, isn’t good for us, for farmers, or for the environment. It has been linked to an increase in obesity, it harms the environment and farmers. And because the corn industry is so subsidized, our government is supporting the obesity epidemic, and the environmental degradation. Economists are even warning us of a corn shock a drought or crop failure that could damage the economy.

Luckily, it’s fun and easy to ! Start out by seeing the film. Then and join the 400 organizations who calling for policies for a fairer farm and food system that ensures equitable access to farm programs, and also responds to the pressing health, environment, hunger, rural development, and local food marketing needs. Urge your representatives to pass a fair farm bill. The vote is coming up, so act now!