Ted Menzies Named New CropLife Canada President

Nov 12, 2013

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Ted Menzies will soon be taking the reins as president and CEO of CropLife Canada, effective Jan. 1, 2014.

Menzies recently exited public life when he announced last Wednesday, Nov. 6, that he would be resigning his seat as Member of Parliament for the Alberta riding of Macleod. He was first elected in 2004, and held several positions including, Federal Minister of State for Finance, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.

Prior to entering federal politics, Menzies was a cash crop farmer and operated a 5,000-acre farm where he grew grain, oilseeds, pules and spices. He was also involved in several farm commodity groups including, the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, Grain Growers of Canada and Western Canadian Growers Association.

“As a farmer, I have always been interested in how technology can improve operators,” Menzies said in a release. Menzies said he is “excited” to start the next chapter of his career. In the new year, he will lead the trade association, which represents the plant science industry in Canada.

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.