Dennis T.Avery

Dennis T. Avery, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture policy analyst, is the director of global food issues at the conservative Hudson Institute research organization in Indianapolis. In the following viewpoint, Avery disputes environmentalists’ claims that the world is threatened by the prospect of food shortages and famines. According to Avery, global grain production has been increasing for more than a century, and “the current world food situation is the best ever.” He maintains that biotechnology, improved agricultural techniques, and millions of acres of underutilized or wasted farmland can be further exploited to increase crop yields.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What will be the world’s peak population in the twenty-first century, according to the Winrock Foundation, cited by Avery?
2. According to Avery, what two factors could...