Viterra Invests $1M in the Canadian International Grains Institute

Mar 04, 2014

Canada’s largest grain handler, Viterra Inc. announced a $1 million partnership with the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) on Tuesday.

The financial contribution signals further agreements between the two parties, as Cigi begins to gather support for its $12 million new facility.

“Cigi has an excellent international reputation for delivering customized training programs and technical expertise to farmers and end users. Their work has helped to enhance Canada's position as a reliable supplier of safe and high quality grains, oilseeds and pulses," Kyle Jeworski, Viterra's President and CEO for North America said in a release.

Cigi is a not-for-profit grain marketing institute which aims to promote Canadian field crops through industry resources and training. The institute is funded by growers and the federal government.

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.