National Barley Council Created

Apr 17, 2013

Barley Council of Canada Incorporates

For the first time in Canada, the barley industry will have a national voice with the creation of Barley Council of Canada (BCC). The group announced on Wednesday, that it will be formally incorporating and will be representing farmers and barley industry members.

"This is the first time in history the entire value chain has been brought together from coast to coast on a Board of Directors." said Brian Otto, BCC chairman. "We are proud to move forward as the national voice for barley."

The BCC says that it will be focusing on five key areas moving forward: innovation and research, crop production practices, market development, increasing market understanding, and communication in the industry.

Federal Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz took the opportunity to congratulate the BCC on its incorporation and says that he looks forward to working with the group to represent barley farmers.

The newly minted BCC says that it’s eager to implement project initiatives.

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.