Shropshire Sheep Scandal, written and directed by Maya Bastian and created by Executive Producer Geoff Morrison, details the six-year long plight of Montana Jones and her herd of 31 Shropshire sheep after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) began investigating them for scrapie, a degenerative disease similar to mad cow. Tensions between Jones and the CFIA climax when, on the morning that the CFIA arrive to “dispatch” the sheep, they are found missing, with a note left behind by the “Farmer’s Peace Corp” claiming that the sheep will not return until an independent test is done on the sheep.

The documentary is full of bucolic images of rolling hills and pastures, old footage of Jones and the sheep, news coverage from the over-a-decade-old story, all interspersed with contemporary interviews of those involved in the case. Trent Hills, where most of the documentary takes place, makes the story feel even more impactful in its proximity to Peterborough. Not only because it was a local affair, but because you can see Peterborough’s own landscapes reflected through the lens of the documentary.

While Jones and her sheep fill the frame, the CFIA and its methods filled my mind. Just last year, the CFIA made headlines for their handling of avian flu at an ostrich farm in B.C, which ended with trained marksmen sniping ostriches. As someone that grew up on a farm, I’ve long heard the scorn in farmers' voices when they speak about the CFIA as a group of inept and uncaring bureaucrats, and that stereotype is not far off from the CFIA we see in the documentary. Whether it’s utitlizing helicopters to search for sheep, threatening legal action against the children of someone involved in the sheepnapping, or forcing through doors to pry seemingly healthy sheep out of the arms of farmers, the CFIA seem like some sort of strange, overblown ATF.

A major contention in the story, and the supposed reason for the CFIA’s apparent sheep bloodlust is that the only known, 100% accurate scrapie test can only be done posthumously, while the living test only has an accuracy of 85%. This creates an interesting dichotomy between the CFIA and Jones’ and her supporters, where the CFIA try to portray themselves as level-headed and willing to do what needs to be done, while the farmers try to portray themselves as the victims of callous government overreach. And in my opinion, the latter do so far more effectively.

The documentary is a fascinating look at the insititution that governs Canada’s farmers, and the way they interact with those they oversee. Even though the story within is 15 years old, if the events of Universal Ostrich Farm are anything to go off, the tale remains relevant. If you’re interested in a tale of sheep, subterfuge, and scrapie, I’d highly recommend Shropshire Sheep Scandal.