Forward

The Flax Council of Canada along with the Manitoba Flax Growers Association and the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission proudly present the fifth edition of Growing Flax. Good agronomic practices play an important part in maintaining Canada’s position as world leader in flax production and exports.

In this edition, production and management practices have been completely reviewed and updated.

Expanding uses for flax, both as an ingredient in foods and as a renewable resource, indicate a crop with a strong future. Today, premium quality flax is sold as a food and food ingredient. Increasingly, too, there is a greater recognition of the value of flax as an animal feed for improved animal health and production. Flax is also the source of linseed oil, which is a main ingredient in environmentally-friendly linoleum flooring and in quality oil-based paints and stains. Further value from flax is obtained from the straw, which is processed for industrial purposes. Thus, for thousands of producers in Western Canada, flax is a viable, expanding crop.

While the Canadian climate favours a high quality flax crop, the efficiency of Canadian flax producers, and the excellence of Canadian agronomic research is also widely acknowledged. In the development of this edition, we have had the expert help of many knowledgeable people, whose support is greatly appreciated. It is hoped that this edition will be useful to producers in the growing and management of the flax crop.

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Brian Johnson, Chair
Flax Council of Canada