Cold Temperatures Put Harvests in California and Arizona in Jeopardy

Jan 22, 2013

Cold Snap in Two U.S. States Could Mean Higher Prices in the Supermarkets

An unexpected cold snap in California and Arizona could results in lower quality and quantity of produce in supermarkets. The unseasonably colder temperatures falling between four and five degrees away from normal for this time of year are impacting produce crops and most notably citrus fruits.

Some estimates are already predicting that one-quarter of the region’s orange crop has taken a hit. With some analysis’s saying that if the hit is hard enough, it could result in a price increase of up to 20 to 30 percent.

The extent of the damage is yet to be determined, but if analyses are right it could mean that you should be expecting higher prices on your grocery bill for some produce items soon.

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.