Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award Nomination Deadline Extended

May 02, 2024

The deadline to nominate Iowa farmers and Iowa farm families for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award has been extended from Monday, May 6 to Monday, May 20.

Iowa farmers and landowners who implement proven practices to improve water quality and incorporate farming practices that conserve and protect our natural resources are eligible for the award. Awardees must also actively serve as leaders within the Iowa agriculture community. Since the creation of the award in 2012, 777 farm families have been recognized.

The nomination form can be found on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website. An appointed committee representing conservation and agricultural groups will review the nominations and select the winners. To be considered for recognition in 2024, nominations will be accepted through Monday, May 20.

The recipients of the award will be honored during a ceremony on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the Iowa State Fair. Governor Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon will present each awardee with an Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award sign and certificate.

Source : iowaagriculture.gov

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.