Wild blueberries: Nova Scotia pushing for product innovations

Dec 17, 2019

HALIFAX - Wild blueberries are Nova Scotia's leading agricultural export and the provincial government is looking for new ways to push sales even higher.

That's why the Department of Agriculture has launched its Wild Blueberry Innovation Challenge.

The goal is to develop new products and markets — and generate more jobs.

The program is offering successful applicants up to $126,000.

Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell says successful applicants will work to commercialize their products with food scientists and technicians at Perennia, Nova Scotia's agriculture development agency.

Last year, the industry generated $104 million in export revenue.

Source : FCC

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.