Canadian Foodgrain's Bank Has Slow Harvest

Oct 04, 2019

The Canadian Foodgrain’s Bank is a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and agencies that work together to end global hunger.

Saskatchewan’s participation and donations play a key role in the group’s mandate.

Rick Block, the Saskatchewan Coordinator, says Community Growing Projects play a major role, since the money raised from the sale of the crop is donated to the group.

“We really are in all of the areas of the agricultural part of the province. There’s 32 project sites this year and close to 3500 acres that are committed to the Foodgrain’s Bank this year. Some of them have been harvested and many of them are still out in the field which is fairly indicative of where most farmers are at as well.”

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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.