The National Farmers Union has a new President

Dec 07, 2022

Jenn Pfenning of New Hamburg, Ontario was elected during the group's National Convention.

Pfenning is the Director of Human Resources, Marketing and Operations at Pfenning's Organic Farm and has served on numerous agriculture food-related boards and is a past president of the Organic Council of Ontario.

She takes over the organization's top spot with the retirement of Katie Ward who served as president of the organization for the last four years.

Rounding out the NFU board table:

First Vice President (policy) is Stewart Wells of Swift Current, Saskatchewan

Second Vice President Is Al Birchard of Verwood, Saskatchewan

Women's President is Bess Vanzandwyk of Montney, British Columbia

Women's Vice-President is Kumari Gurusamy of Ottawa, Ontario

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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.