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Plant the Seeds: Opportunities to Grow Ontario's Fruit and Vegetable Sector

“Plant the Seeds: Opportunities to Grow Southern Ontario's Fruit and Vegetable Sector” is a new report that outlines the opportunity to expand the $2.2 billion of fruits and vegetables grown in Ontario, including more local production of fresh grapes, pears, strawberries, garlic, eggplant, sweet potatoes, apples, snap peas, cabbage—as well as vertical farming.

This expansion could result in up to $135 million in increased farm-gate revenue, making an important contribution to Ontario’s economic recovery.

For most of the crops examined in this analysis, expanding production across the Greenbelt and southwestern Ontario would displace some of the $7.3 billion of annual imported fruits and vegetables making an important contribution to Ontario’s economic recovery and could provide an even greater contribution to Ontario’s rural economy.

Certain perquisites need to be in place to realize the opportunities, and there is a role for growers, marketers, retailers, industry organizations, research and development institutions, and government to make it happen

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

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.