source: Farm and Food Report
It is no secret that flax has been enjoying a kind of renaissance in recent years, which bodes well for the crop and will require a significant increase in production in order to meet the forecasted demand.
One of the first steps in this process is to ensure that agronomists and producers have the information they need to grow successful flax crops.
The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission and the Flax Council of Canada, in conjunction with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, are sponsoring two agronomy updates in Saskatchewan this month.
Bill Greuel is the Oilseeds and Transgenic Crops Provincial Specialist with SAFRR.
“Numerous research reports outline the benefits of flax in human and animal health, while flax and flax fibre seem destined to play significant roles in the new bioeconomy,” Greuel says. “These Update events will bring together researchers and extension specialists to share their knowledge with the industry on topics that cover everything from stand establishment and fertility to pest control and straw management.”
This is a timely initiative, since the flax industry has embarked on a plan to increase flax production throughout Western Canada with a view to the future. A consortium of industry partners recently launched Flax Canada 2015 and invested $1.25 million into projects that include the development of a strategic plan to increase the value of flax at the farmgate over the next 10 years.
“If the increased demand manifests itself and new markets for Western Canadian flax open up, we need to be ready,” says Greuel. “For instance, if we look at flax straw, the current practice is simply to throw a match to it, because the straw that comes out of the combine is basically destroyed. What if we developed ways to improve the quality of the straw by managing it and the crop differently?”
Current straw production averages 0.5 ton per acre. Theoretically, it could be possible to increase the seeding rate in order to increase the yield to one ton per acre, and then the flax straw might become a resource, according to Greuel.
“The program is designed to give agronomists and interested producers the basics of flax production from seeding to harvest. If the experience this year is conclusive, we will offer this on an annual basis by choosing one or two topics and exploring them in depth. For instance, stand establishment is a major issue for flax producers. It affects all aspect of production, from weed control to the timing of the harvest — the challenge being getting an even stand.”
New developments could have a significant impact on the range of potential markets. Non-food uses of flax include linseed oil, which makes up 35 per cent of linoleum flooring. But crushed flax also provides the base for many sealants and coatings, like exterior house paints, alkyd enamels, stains and urethanes. It can also be purchased as "raw" or "boiled" to be used on wood, metal and concrete surfaces. Caulking compounds like window putty may also contain the oil.
Flax is becoming a popular ingredient in personal care and stress relief products like soaps and gels that provide effective hairstyling. There are also shampoo formulations created with flax to make one’s hair feel and look soft and luxuriant.
As the virtues of this valuable crop become better known among consumers and the public in general, what the future has in store may just be a little more flax in our lives and, of course, a decent living for producers and processors.
The Flax Update sessions take place in Saskatoon on March 8 and in Regina on March 10. For more information or to register, please contact Bill Greuel at (306) 787-2756 or wgreuel@agr.gov.sk.ca
For more information on flax and its uses, visit the website of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission at: http://www.saskflax.com
For more information, contact:
Bill Greuel
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-2756
It is no secret that flax has been enjoying a kind of renaissance in recent years, which bodes well for the crop and will require a significant increase in production in order to meet the forecasted demand.
One of the first steps in this process is to ensure that agronomists and producers have the information they need to grow successful flax crops.
The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission and the Flax Council of Canada, in conjunction with Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, are sponsoring two agronomy updates in Saskatchewan this month.
Bill Greuel is the Oilseeds and Transgenic Crops Provincial Specialist with SAFRR.
“Numerous research reports outline the benefits of flax in human and animal health, while flax and flax fibre seem destined to play significant roles in the new bioeconomy,” Greuel says. “These Update events will bring together researchers and extension specialists to share their knowledge with the industry on topics that cover everything from stand establishment and fertility to pest control and straw management.”
This is a timely initiative, since the flax industry has embarked on a plan to increase flax production throughout Western Canada with a view to the future. A consortium of industry partners recently launched Flax Canada 2015 and invested $1.25 million into projects that include the development of a strategic plan to increase the value of flax at the farmgate over the next 10 years.
“If the increased demand manifests itself and new markets for Western Canadian flax open up, we need to be ready,” says Greuel. “For instance, if we look at flax straw, the current practice is simply to throw a match to it, because the straw that comes out of the combine is basically destroyed. What if we developed ways to improve the quality of the straw by managing it and the crop differently?”
Current straw production averages 0.5 ton per acre. Theoretically, it could be possible to increase the seeding rate in order to increase the yield to one ton per acre, and then the flax straw might become a resource, according to Greuel.
“The program is designed to give agronomists and interested producers the basics of flax production from seeding to harvest. If the experience this year is conclusive, we will offer this on an annual basis by choosing one or two topics and exploring them in depth. For instance, stand establishment is a major issue for flax producers. It affects all aspect of production, from weed control to the timing of the harvest — the challenge being getting an even stand.”
New developments could have a significant impact on the range of potential markets. Non-food uses of flax include linseed oil, which makes up 35 per cent of linoleum flooring. But crushed flax also provides the base for many sealants and coatings, like exterior house paints, alkyd enamels, stains and urethanes. It can also be purchased as "raw" or "boiled" to be used on wood, metal and concrete surfaces. Caulking compounds like window putty may also contain the oil.
Flax is becoming a popular ingredient in personal care and stress relief products like soaps and gels that provide effective hairstyling. There are also shampoo formulations created with flax to make one’s hair feel and look soft and luxuriant.
As the virtues of this valuable crop become better known among consumers and the public in general, what the future has in store may just be a little more flax in our lives and, of course, a decent living for producers and processors.
The Flax Update sessions take place in Saskatoon on March 8 and in Regina on March 10. For more information or to register, please contact Bill Greuel at (306) 787-2756 or wgreuel@agr.gov.sk.ca
For more information on flax and its uses, visit the website of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission at: http://www.saskflax.com
For more information, contact:
Bill Greuel
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-2756
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