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Flax


Background

Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is one of the oldest crops, having been grown since the beginning of civilization. Flax was cultivated primarily for its use in linens. Burial chambers dating back to about 3000 B.C. depict flax cultivation and clothing from flax fibers.

Flax was first introduced to the United States by colonists, primarily to produce fiber for clothing. As the United States grew and more buildings were constructed, the need increased for flaxseed oil, commonly called linseed oil, for use in paints. The demand for flaxseed meal for livestock and poultry feed also increased. As a result, the flax processing industry was developed in the late 18th century. By the 1940s, however, cotton had replaced flax as a commonly used fiber in the United States, and flax became nearly extinct as a crop.  March 2008 . . . Flax


Marketing

Production

Processing 

  • Prizzey’s, Manitoba, Canada - This value-added processor supplies flaxseed ingredients customized to the specific needs of the food, beverage and nutritional products industries.

Businesses/Case Studies

  • Flax Farmer Profiles, The New American Farmer, Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE), USDA - This program offers producer profiles that look at how specific farmers are exploring sustainability.

 Links checked May 2008.

 
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