An online video spoof of Star Wars that touts organic produce with characters like Chewbroccoli and Obi Wan Cannolies not have everybody in the produce industry smiling.
An online video spoof of Star Wars that touts organic produce with characters like Chewbroccoli and Obi Wan Cannolies not have everybody in the produce industry smiling.
Its depiction of conventional farming as the dark side has angered some and prompted at least one industry spokesman to resort to his own brand of humor with an edge.
"It's one of the best spoofs I've ever seen," said Tim Chelling, vice president for communications with Western Growers Association in Irvine. "But when it comes to some of the facts presented, as far as consumers go, the farce is not with you."
The Organic Trade Association and Free Range Studios collaborated for "Store Wars: The Organic Rebellion."
The Web-based five-minute movie is at www.storewars.org.
Its debut was timed to the release of the blockbuster movie "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith."
This particular movie opens with shopping carts menacingly moving through space and appearance of a "Death Melon" rather than a Death Star.
It's peopled by fanciful puppets with names like Cuke Skywalker, Princess Lettuce, Ham Solo, C3 Peanuts, TofuD2nd Yogurt.
Lord Tader is a russet potato described as "now more chemical than vegetable."
Among the movie dialogue that irked produce industry leaders is Obi Wan Cannoli's observation about "the dark side of the farm."
"An empire of pollution and pesticides has ruthlessly conquered the market, with unsustainable, short-sighted practices like genetic engineering, irradiation and massive chemical pesticide use," he says.
That's "outrageous," said Jennifer Tong, director of food safety and nutrition outreach for the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association in Washington, D.C.
"Our organization strongly supports organics, but it's extremely short-sighted to make such attacks on conventional farming," Tong said. "Using scare tactics is not a good way to build the organic business."
Katherine DiMatteo, president of the Organic Trade Association in Greenfield, Mass., points out that the words "conventional farming" do not appear in the movie.
"We weren't particularly trying to target anything except what practices are prohibited in organic production," DiMatteo said.
The Web site had more than 2 million hits in its first two weeks. Its target audience is "a new generation of organic consumers, especially 'Gen Xers' who grew up loving Luke, Leia and Han, and are now increasingly concerned about making healthy food choices for their families," according to the group's news release.
DiMatteo said the costs for producing the video and hosting it on a Web site were less than $30,000.
"There are certainly opinions on both sides," DiMatteo said. "We're thrilled by the mini-movie on multiple levels, and I know that opinions are all over the spectrum."
Asked if she has has any regrets about the movie and responses it has evoked, she said, "I don't feel that it was anything I should think about in that way -- regret or no regrets."
Kathy Means, vice president for government relations with the Produce Marketing Association in Newark, Del., said the movie is "attention-getting and clever."
But she added, "It's irresponsible to scare people away from products that are safe" at the same time that "we're trying to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables."
Free Range Studios, the makers of Store Wars, also made the 2003 Web film "The Meatrix," which used animation and pointed humor to question the treatment of animals in "factory farms."
"The Meatrix" drew sharp criticism at the annual convention of Western United Dairymen in Fresno in February.
"The Web can be a source of information or misinformation," said Michael Marsh, CEO of Western United Dairymen in Modesto, the one-time home of Star Wars creator George Lucas.
Marsh sees "Store Wars" as "whimsical, some of it is kind of silly. It's very creative."
"But it's trying to effectively bash produce that is wholesome and healthy and produced for the majority of Americans by raising some spectre of fear," he said. "That's a dangerous thing for somebody to engage in. It's clearly an expanding niche market, but I hope they grow their niche on the basis of the quality of their products rather than by denigrating wholesome foods."
Yogurt has the last words in the movie:
"When the market you visit keep your family and your planet safe from the dark side by choosing organic. May the farm be with you always."
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Source: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
