Economics of Flax Seeds

Flax seed dates back to before cotton. Its original use was for fibers in clothing and linseed oil used in paint. Today, it still is in clothing but not as often. You find it mostly in food products. It is rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, making it popular for heart health. Mainly produced in Canada, it is a tall grassy-looking plant with small blue flowers. Flax needs cool and long sunny days with good soil drainage to yield the best crop.

Distribution

The production of flax seed has had its ups and downs due to demand and competition. Canada is one of the largest producers of flax seed, making it difficult for other areas to compete. Canada exports to areas such as Belgium, the United States and Japan. A new market may be with Europe, which has increased its demand over the last few years.

Yield

States with cooler climates and long, sunny days, such as North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri and Texas, tend to produce the best crops. Oats and soybeans yield similar costs to growing flax. The price per bushel varies yearly based on demand, yield, weather, economy, transportation and processing costs. Flax yields approximately 22 bushels per acre.

Marketing

For smaller farms, it may be more profitable to market the product within your own state, due to transportation and processing costs. There has been resurgence in the demand for flax oil, but processing is costly, so producers market flax as whole, ground flour or cracked for the most profit. Consider selling to food brokers, bakers, health food stores, poultry producers and pet food manufacturers.

Planting

Producers should not grow flax, which requires a lot of land, in the same field every year. Rotating it with other crops reduces disease and increases yield. Flax has minimal issues with disease or insects but can face challenges by weeds such as mustard, clover and thistle. The crop matures in 90 to 200 days depending on location and the time of year you plant it, and it requires good soil drainage for the best yield. Additional profit may be in producing a double crop where you plant flax in the spring and a plant such as buckwheat immediately after harvest.