It's a good bet that the vast majority of people who buy organic produce would be surprised to find out that most certified organic food is grown with the heavy application of pesticides. So claims the Hudson Institute's Alex Avery, who serves as the Washington D.C.-based policy research organization's director of research and education in the group's Center for Global Food Issues.

Avery, who is the author of "The Truth About Organic Foods," "Scaring Consumers Away from Good Health" and "Farming to Sustain the Environment," will deliver a special lecture at 6 p.m. on Tuesday (April 24) in the Texas Tech Student Union Building's Matador Room. Hosted by Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources' Agricultural Awareness Week, admission to the event is free and open to the public.

It is now clear that agricultural biotechnology is the future of farming, Avery said. Combining weed-proof, insect-proof, and disease-proof strategies would eliminate the need to spray pesticides "" and eliminate any reason to pay more for organic foods. No wonder organic farmers and retailers fought so ferociously against agricultural biotechnology.

Prior to joining the Hudson Institute in 1994, Avery was a McKnight research fellow at Purdue University, where he worked on a team developing drought- and disease-resistant sorghum varieties for sub-Saharan Africa. His articles have appeared in many publications, including the Des Moines Register, USA Today Magazine and The Washington Times.

The featured speaker has represented Hudson Institute at the United Nations World Food Summit in Rome, written widely on an array of topics, spoken to national and international audiences, and appeared on numerous national and international radio and television programs advocating modern, high-yield farming to feed humanity and protect global wild lands.

Separately, CASNR officials indicated that a following the lecture a reception will be held from 7-8 p.m. in the Matador Lounge.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Courtney Meyers, assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2816 or courtney.meyers@ttu.edu

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