Margaret A. Smith,
P&S, Value Added
Agriculture
Situation
Market demand for flax and products containing flaxseed has increased in
the last 10 years due to the health benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids in
the flaxseed. A California-based food company, Spectrum Organics, partnered
with an Iowa entrepreneur in 2004 to build a flax oil-crushing facility in
Cherokee, Iowa. Spectrum stated that they would like to secure at least 1/
3 of their flax needs from Iowa and other Midwestern flax producers.
Flax has not been grown in Iowa since the 1960s, resulting in little local knowledge about production of the crop. Producers interested in growing for this market and conventional markets were uncertain about basic agronomic practices and about fair market prices for their grain.
Objective
Our objective was to provide information to crop producers considering flax
production, to help them successfully plant, grow, harvest and market this
specialty grain.
Activities/Output
Grants totaling $144,000 were secured to initiate a comprehensive field research
program in 2004, including sites at the Northwest Research Center at Calumet
and the Agronomy Farm near Ames. The field study includes an evaluation
of planting dates, flax cultivars, different weed management strategies
and their effects on flax grain yield, oil quantity and quality and flax
fiber characteristics. In addition, a partnership with Practical Farmers
of Iowa resulted in eight additional on-farm trials that coordinated with
the plots studies.
Outreach efforts included:
Impact/Outcomes
In 2005, approximately 1000 A of flax was grown in Iowa. Two hundred and
twenty-five people participated in winter workshops and gained additional
information about flax. Summer 2005 had approximately 300 people who viewed
flax in the field and were engaged in discussion and observation about
production challenges. Yield and economic impact of the addition of this
crop to Iowa cropping systems has not yet been quantified.
2005
121 -- Adding Value and Enhancing Agricultural Products
Page last updated:
July 9, 2006
Page maintained by Linda Schultz, lschultz@iastate.edu
