GJ Chemical Toured The Plots In Altona; Arnaud

Last week GJ Chemical had plot tours in Altona and Arnaud, showing growers several trials and varieties. The Arnaud tour on took place on Friday had about 30 soybean and a dozen corn trials.

 

Brent Manning, manager of the Arnaud location, says the plots had a challenging year in terms of weather, but varieties have still done well.

 

"We kind of [thought] the plot was ruined because there was a drain running through it, but actually, when you look at the aerial photo, guys looking at it will see it coming through in the yield," he says. "There's quite a few — I would say a handful — of varieties that really show in that drain, that didn't die off. They still managed to produce some beans, and I still think yield they'll fairly decently."

 

He also says they had some seed treatment trials this year, planting some varieties into cooler soils.

 

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.