All Things Organic - Organic flax challenging to grow, but potentially profitable

By Ian Cushon
November 28, 2002

Flax is a versatile plant that produces edible seed, fibre, and industrial and edible oil. It is also the hottest organic commodity on the Prairies. With organic flax prices hitting record levels, farmers lucky enough to have some are cashing in on a market that can't get enough.

Organic flax demand has been growing largely because of the health benefits associated with eating flax. Flaxseed oil is rich in alpha linolenic acid, the much-touted omega 3 fatty acid. Many health studies claim that eating flax or flax oil reduces heart disease, improves digestion, improves brain and immune function, and helps prevent cancer. Most conventional flax is used in industrial applications such as linseed oil in paint, concrete preservation and linoleum. Flax fibre is also used to make cigarette paper and currency. In Europe, fibre flax varieties are grown for high quality linen, and there is interest in developing similar varieties suitable for the Prairies.

Some fibre flax varieties are very tall. Canadian seed varieties have shorter straw and are primarily focused on seed yield. Canadian flax breeders have purposely selected seed flax varieties with shorter straw. When breeding flax varieties for organic farmers, breeders might want to select taller varieties, which would offer the best weed competition with reasonable yields.

Another type of flax with yellow seed is called solin. Its low-linolenic acid oil is similar to sunflower oil and is used mainly as an ingredient in margarine. Flax also has confectionery uses in competition with sesame seed, mainly in Europe.

Canada is the globe's top flax producer, growing 40 percent of world supply. As a result, the Canadian flax supply has a strong impact on prices.

Flax is a poor competitor against weeds, so organic production can be difficult. But it has other characteristics that make it an important crop to grow in organic rotations. It requires less nutrients than other crops, which makes it useful in organic rotations where nutrients may be short for more needy crops. It is best adapted to moister regions with heavier soils on the northern and eastern Prairies. Flax can also be seeded later than other crops because it has some frost resistance as it nears maturity. More northerly producers may want to use early-maturing varieties. Late seeding works well in organic production because early flushes of weeds can be controlled before seeding, reducing weed competition. Flax variety selection should be chosen on recommendations from buyers because there is some variety variation in oil quality and taste.

In our rotation, flax follows wheat and peas as a third crop. In this part of the rotation, fertility is lower but the flax produces acceptable yields. Weed pressure may be moderate to high, especially from perennial weeds. Annual weeds, while present in significant numbers, often don't compete as much because of lower fertility. Although we have grown good flax crops on summerfallow, we no longer do so because annual weeds are often competitive on nutrient-rich soil. Alfalfa breaking may be the one exception because such fields are generally cleaner. We have reseeded flax crops to reduce weed competition and when emergence is poor.

Flax can also be under seeded to alfalfa or red clover. Yellow clover is too aggressive in the first year. Under-seeding alfalfa requires the removal of flax straw rather than burning if you are planning on saving the alfalfa for a forage crop. Flax straw can be a big problem to following crops. Many certification organizations discourage flax straw burning, and baling may be the only option. While burning is not preferred for residue management, there could be a good case made for exceptions. Flax seed should be weed free and relatively free of damaged kernels. It should be sown shallow, one to four centimetres into moisture. Deep seeding dramatically reduces emergence and yield. Most organic farmers seed from 40 to 60 pounds per acre. Flax emergence is generally only 50-60 percent.

Higher seeding rates should be used for soil prone to crusting and in cases of late seeding or heavy weed pressure. When soil moisture is good or rain is imminent, we use broadcast seeding in front of shallow tillage with an air seeder, followed by a packer harrow bar. Broadcast seeding at higher rates increases seedbed use and improves competition. Using a harrow bar would be ideal. Broadcast seeding in drier areas and in drier years is risky. Seeding in narrower-spaced rows with an air or conventional drill with good packing would be better. Some farmers use cross seeding to increase seedbed use and weed competition. Flax cannot be harrowed because it is shallow seeded and sensitive.

Some farmers interseed flax with other crops to reduce weed competition. Selecting compatible crops is important. Maturity and threshing settings are the most important factors in selecting compatible crops for intercropping. Grasshoppers and drought caused significant crop loss and damage in 2002, and the risks will remain high if you expect moderate to heavy grasshopper infestations in 2003.

Flax is a challenging crop on organic farms at the best of times. Yield losses from weeds are often so high that the crop is not economically competitive with other organic crops, and there is the straw problem. But flax demand may exceed supply for many years to come. If you can figure out how to produce consistently good yields, flax could be a profitable part of your rotation.

Ian Cushon
Moose Creek Organic Farm Inc.
P.O. Box 85
Oxbow, Saskatchewan
Canada, S0C 2B0

Tel. 306-483-5034
FAX 306-483-2799
Cell 306-483-8257
E-mail: coldridge@sasktel.net