Economists Estimate $55-100M Hit to Florida Agriculture Due to Hurricane Sally

 

I’ve posted several stories about the impacts of Sally on agriculture in the Southeast. This latest, from IFAS, indicates that the costs from Sally were between $55 and $100 million. Damage from 2018 Hurricane Michael was worse because the winds were stronger and lasted farther inland, but Sally dropped a lot more rain because it was moving so slowly, and the strong winds of the eye wall lasted a long time near the coast due to Sally’s slow motion, too. You can read more about their analysis and find a link to the report at http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2020/09/25/economists-estimate-55-100m-hit-to-florida-agriculture-due-to-hurricane-sally/.

 

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.