Dennis T. Avery

Dennis T. Avery (1936-2020) was an American author and food policy analyst known for his controversial positions on agricultural and environmental issues. As director of the Center for Global Food Issues at the Hudson Institute, he advocated for industrial farming methods and opposed organic agriculture. Avery's career included positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of State, where he worked as a senior agricultural analyst. He served on President Lyndon Johnson's National Advisory Commission of Food and Fiber before joining the Hudson Institute. His most notable work was the New York Times bestseller "Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years," co-authored with S. Fred Singer. Throughout his career, Avery strongly supported biotechnology, pesticide use, and industrial farming practices while criticizing organic farming methods and agricultural subsidies. Operating from his base at the Hudson Institute, which received funding from major agricultural and chemical companies, Avery frequently published articles and spoke about agricultural policy and environmental issues. His positions often put him at odds with environmental groups and organic farming advocates.

Readers express strong reactions to Avery's work, particularly "Unstoppable Global Warming." The book receives polarized reviews based on readers' existing views on climate change. What readers liked: - Research citations and historical data presentation - Clear writing style that makes scientific concepts accessible - Arguments against climate change alarmism - Discussion of natural climate cycles What readers disliked: - Cherry-picking of data to support predetermined conclusions - Heavy reliance on industry-funded studies - Dismissive tone toward opposing viewpoints - Outdated information not reflecting recent climate research Review Stats: Amazon: 3.9/5 (243 reviews) Goodreads: 3.3/5 (89 ratings) One reader noted: "Presents compelling historical evidence but ignores contradicting modern data." Another stated: "The writing is clear but the bias is obvious." His other works like "Saving the Planet with Pesticides and Plastic" receive fewer reviews but similar polarized responses, with agricultural industry professionals rating them higher than environmental advocates.

Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years (2007) Co-authored with S. Fred Singer, this book presents arguments against human-caused climate change, proposing that global temperature changes follow a natural 1,500-year cycle.

Saving the Planet with Pesticides and Plastic: The Environmental Triumph of High-Yield Farming (2000) A detailed examination of modern farming techniques, arguing that intensive agriculture with synthetic inputs is more environmentally beneficial than organic methods.

Global Food Progress (1991) An analysis of worldwide food production systems and agricultural policies, discussing trends in farming technology and food security.

The Coming Food Revolution (1995) Explores emerging agricultural technologies and their potential impact on global food production and distribution systems.

Bjorn Lomborg writes about environmental policy and challenges conventional wisdom on climate change solutions. He analyzes cost-benefit approaches to environmental challenges through a similar lens as Avery did at the Hudson Institute.

Patrick Moore is a former Greenpeace founder who now advocates for conventional agriculture and biotechnology. His work focuses on demonstrating the benefits of modern farming practices and challenging environmental movement orthodoxies.

Norman Borlaug led the Green Revolution and championed intensive agricultural methods to increase food production. His work emphasized technological solutions to agricultural challenges and supported many of the farming approaches Avery promoted.

Alex Avery continued his father Dennis Avery's work on agricultural policy and food production issues. He has written about the benefits of modern farming methods and critiqued claims made by organic farming advocates.

Julian Simon wrote about population growth and resource availability, arguing against environmental pessimism. His empirical analysis of natural resources and human innovation aligns with Avery's perspective on agricultural productivity and technology.