Santa Cruz, California
July 23, 2009
Film trailer probes campaign
cash as root of bad farm, energy policy
 A
documentary film trailer examining the influence of money in
federal policy creation captured top honors in
The Organic Summit’s
inaugural Organic Film Trailer Competition, produced in
partnership with New Hope Natural Media.
The trailer for the film Priceless received the Pick of the
Harvest award from summit attendees, which Portland,
Oregon-based producer and director Steve Cowan said is a
significant vote of confidence. (View
Priceless trailer here)
“The fact that we won (the trailer competition) shows that a lot
of people recognize we have to address where our federal policy
is coming from or the next farm bill will be more of the same,”
said Cowan. Despite advances for organic farming in the Farm Act
of 2008, Cowan said the law still heavily favors factory farms,
commodity producers and large agribusiness interests.
Priceless was a strong favorite among the 170 organic farmers,
food processors and retail executives who attended the Organic
Summit in Stevenson, Washington, in June. Summit attendees
viewed the finalists among 17 film trailers entered in the
competition before casting ballots for their favorites. (View
competition entries here)
“This competition helps expand our understanding of the cultural
aspect of agriculture,” said Bob Scowcroft, executive director
of the Organic Farming Research
Foundation (OFRF). “Showcasing emerging documentary films on
food and farming underscores the importance of art in continuing
to grow the organic food movement.” OFRF co-hosted the third
annual Organic Summit with New Hope Natural Media.
In the film, agriculture policy serves as one of two case
studies to show how special interest money is unduly influencing
federal lawmaking. Cowan's non-profit organization, Habitat
Media, continues raising funds to support the final shooting on
the film—a second case study examining energy policy. Cowan said
that his film, four years in the making, is nearing completion.
He views the award as a valuable push to fund the work.
Curt Ellis, producer of the popular documentary King Corn and
emcee to the Organic Summit’s film competition, said that the
$1,000 cash award and the recognition will prove valuable in
gaining support to complete the film.
“It builds publicity and grassroots momentum and can also be
leveraged into significant fund raising potential elsewhere,”
said Ellis.
About the Organic Farming
Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation was founded in 1990
to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic
farming systems. OFRF sponsors organic farming research and
education projects, disseminates the results to organic farmers
and to growers interested in adopting organic production
systems, and educates the public and policymakers about organic
farming issues. The majority of OFRF’s board members are working
organic farmers.
About New Hope Natural Media
The Organic Summit is produced by New Hope Natural Media, a
division of Penton Media, Inc., in partnership with the Organic
Farming Research Foundation.
New Hope Natural Media is the leading media resource and
information provider for the natural, organic and healthy
products industry with print, in-person/event, and e-business
products and services. Penton Media, Inc. is the largest
independent business-to-business media company in the U.S.,
serving more than six million business professionals every
month. The company's market-leading brands focus on 30
industries and include 113 trade magazines, 145 web sites, 150
industry trade shows and conferences, and more than 500
information data products. Headquartered in New York City, the
privately held company is owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S.
Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein
& Co., LP, and its co-investors. For additional information on
the company and its businesses, visit
www.penton.com.
The Organic Summit
provides leaders in the organic industry as well as top
executives from leading conventional food companies a forum for
complex discussion of the business issues that impact the future
of the organic industry. |
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