The New Green Giants

Gr 10 Up—Narrated by filmmaker Ted Remerowski, this documentary examines the expanding market of organic foods—both the cultivation of crops and the selling of the products. Many of the leaders in the organic food business trace their roots to the "back-to-the-earth" movement of the 1960s. Today, it's a mainstream business with consumers who desire pesticide-free, non-genetic modified foods and are willing to pay higher prices for the items, which include milk, vegetables, and fruits. Profits have drawn multi-national corporations such as General Mills and Dean Foods into stealth ownership of organic companies. The film profiles several companies that manufacture organic products, including Stonyfield, Eden Foods, Swanton Corporation, Nature's Path, and organic farm co-ops such as Organic Valley. The program also examines the growing organic food industry in China which exports food all over the world. Several debatable topics are presented in the film—including "natural" versus "organic," the "Dirty Dozen" list of fruits and vegetables, and the use of pesticides. The organic food movement is complex and controversial. This classroom friendly film provides an excellent introduction for science, agriculture, and business students.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel