Connection with producers behind new flax website

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

A completely revamped website for the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission is just part of efforts to improve services for producers. The commission's executive director, Linda Braun, says they are already receiving positive feedback on the changes.

"The previous version was very time-consuming for farmers to access, so we decided to revamp the site to make it much easier for them," Braun said. "Our website is a great way to get information to farmers relatively quickly."

According to the commission, there are over 15,000 flax producers in Saskatchewan, and the province produces four times more flax than its nearest provincial rival in Canada. The commission invests in research, communication, and market facilitation with the objective of further developing the industry.

"A producer recently told me that Saskatchewan is the heart and soul of flax production in this country," Braun said.

Prominent on the new website is information on the Flax Development Commission's Agri-Environmental Group Plan.

"Complete plant utilization is important," Braun noted. "Flax is a great crop for the bio-economy. We're looking at both the seed and the straw, animal and human markets, and industrial fibre markets."

One of the important developments on which the commission is working with producers is to find markets for the fibre from Saskatchewan flax straw.

"Flax producers have always been good stewards of the land and have taken a leadership role, but sometimes with the amount of fibre there was no alternative but to burn," Braun said. "So we've been talking about chopping and spreading, and sharing information on stripper-header technology. We've also been working on developing the fibre industry from the field through to the consumer."

Braun says the development of new markets for flax fibre is bringing many players to the table.

"We've been working on the national scene with organizations like Flax Canada 2015, the National Bio-Fibres Advisory Board, and the new network of about 100 people within the Agricultural Bioproducts Innovation Program," she noted.

Early in 2008 the commission will be putting together two important events for flax producers. The first will be Flax Day on January 7, during the Crop Production Week. The program will include "everything from what the breeders are doing to what the market is going to look like," Braun stated.

In addition, the commission is organizing a two-day workshop in February on the topic of effective flax straw management. "We'll be bringing in farmers and researchers to discuss all the alternatives and the development of new beneficial management practices for flax straw," she said.

Braun advised producers to watch the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission website, at http://www.saskflax.com/, for more details on these events, as well as on the upcoming board election.

For more information, contact:
Linda Braun, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
Phone: (306) 664-1901
E-mail: saskflax@saskflax.com