Funding for Fruit Growers Affected by February’s Extreme Cold

Mar 14, 2023

Grape and other fruit growers whose crops were affected by the extreme cold weather in February will soon receive additional support to help them recover.

Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow announced $15 million in funding today, March 9, in Wolfville.

“I’ve talked to farmers about the impact last month’s extreme cold had on their crops, and some are predicting a full loss of their fruit harvest this year,” said Minister Morrow. “This funding will help cover some of the extraordinary costs producers are facing over the next few years as the full scope of the damage is revealed.”

Early assessments indicate up to 100 per cent of grapes, raspberries, peaches, cherries and plums may be lost this year. The actual percentage loss and the long-term impact of the extreme cold won’t be known until spring.

The Department of Agriculture will work with industry representatives over the next few months to design and deliver programs that will meet their needs. It will help with losses not covered by business risk management programs like crop insurance. The new fund may also support replant programs and climate change mitigation projects.

Click here to see more...

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.