North American Ag Officials Affirm Role Of Provinces And States In Implementation Of CUSMA

Oct 23, 2020

On Thursday, officials from Canada, the United States and Mexico issued a joint statement underscoring the role of provinces and states in successful implementation of the Canada - United States - Mexico (CUSMA) Trade Agreement.

North American state and provincial agriculture officials gathered virtually this week for the 29th annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord.

The three countries held sessions on CUSMA implementation, provincial and state response to COVID-19, prevention, surveillance, and rapid response to African Swine Fever (ASF), and the future of agriculture through innovation including gene editing.

The Accord represents a longstanding commitment among the senior provincial and state agricultural officials of Canada, the United States, and Mexico to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues.

Manitoba Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development Blaine Pedersen led the Canadian Delegation.

The 30th Annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord will take place in Arlington, Virginia on October 25-27, 2021.

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.