Jeremy Seifert’s GMO OMG (2013) begins with his son’s interest in seeds and seed collecting. Taking his family on a journey of discovery, Seifert explores the issues surrounding GMO (genetically modified organisms) production, studies, labeling, and regulation. In part he wants to know why some Haitian farmers call GMO seeds “seeds of death,” while people in the United States remain uninformed about them, as a brief person-on-the-street survey shows.

GMO OMG offers little new information about the debates to those already familiar with them, but it does provide an overview of the issues and the major players for those seeking to learn more. Seifert’s documentary avoids delving too far into the science, which some may see as a shortcoming, but no documentary on this subject is going to placate all the vested interests.

As part of his journey, Seifert interviews a range of people, including farmers, journalists, scientists, and seed preservationists. The closing credits list people and companies who refused to talk with him for the documentary.

He attempts little gags with his children to involve them on his journey. He creates silly GMO goggles, and he runs with them through a field GMO-planted corn wearing HAZMAT suits. His children also stand outside retailers and restaurants holding a sign.

What did bother me, though, was how some of the newspaper headline montages highlighted issues without providing any contexts or information for them. One headline mentions the farmer suicides in India. That point seems too heavy just to flash by on a headline.

Another thing, and some might quibble with me on this point: If you’re dealing with a divisive issue and citing statistics, note your sources, and use primary ones, not secondary ones. GMO OMG features statistics throughout, such as “85% percent of all the corn grown in the United States is genetically modified.” Neither the title in the documentary nor the film’s associated website offers sources for the cited stats. Every stat tells its own story, and it’s important to know who is the teller, a point that even this documentary raises about GMO research.