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Fall 2007 (PDF) Saskatchewan flax G r o w e r Chair’s Report What a difference a year can make!! The Commission is sponsoring a straw The Canadian dollar is at par! Agriculture has gone management workshop on February 12 and 13, from where governments are not interested in basic Allen Kuhlmann 2008. Green people are aiming their sights on fire Chair, research (because we only grow commodities which – learn how not to burn straw and maybe make Saskatchewan Flax Development are in surplus) to where prices have exploded on a buck. As a result of the environmental concerns Commission many of those same commodities. Nations are block- the Commission will continue working with the Ag ing exports to protect domestic food supplies and Environmental Group to modify farm practices. importing no matter what the cost. WOW! I wonder if Read more regarding this in the following pages. those in Ottawa and elsewhere that fund agronomic After a very long wait and much pain to dial Our Mission research have noticed? up internet users, we have a brand new website: “To lead, promote, How high would those prices be if the Canadian www.saskflax.com. Check it out if you haven’t dollar was .65 or .80? Interesting times for sure! I already. and enhance the hope this optimism and good times survive longer Areas where I have traveled suggest flax production, than higher input costs! yields didn’t suffer as much as some other crops. value-added Now to more mundane but also important I hope this was the case on your farm. Happy processing and issues. The Flax Commission needs 2 new directors marketing and please don’t create excess demand utilization of as Gordon and Dave must retire this year. Step up to for southern vacations till after Flax Day. the plate people – please. It is a great opportunity to Saskatchewan flax.” learn about your industry. Flax Day 2008 is January 7, 2008 – I hope the good times bring record numbers to the show. Allen Kuhlmann Hope to see you there. Chair Up Coming Events November 6 to 9, 2007 February 12, 13, 2008 SFDC/AEGP October Short Course “Effective Straw Management Workshop” Saskatchewan 2007 “Flaxseed: Adding Functional Food Value” Volume 9 Northern Crops Institute Estevan Room, Hilton Garden Inn Number 1 Fargo, North Dakota Saskatoon A Saskatchewan flax industry newsletter November 28, 29, 2007 July 21 to 24, 2008 published by the Bio-Fibres Symposium: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Saskatchewan “Binding Innovation to Opportunity” (FAO) International Bast Conference Flax Development Edmonton, Alberta Hilton Garden Inn Commission Saskatoon January 7, 2008 “Growing Flax First” – 2009 Annual General Meeting/Flax Day Update International Year of Natural Fibers Canadian Room, Saskatoon Inn As proclaimed by the Food and Agriculture SaskFlax Saskatoon Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Effective Flax Straw Management: Review and Update According to the Flax Growers Survey, the most common problem flax producers face is in dealing with the straw after harvest. This information has been reinforced at flax meetings, field days and is a regular topic in conversations with producers. In many growing areas the world over, un- wanted crop residue has a history of being burned. However changing times and a greater attention to environmental issues has seen the practice largely banned in many places. Burning creates emissions that have the potential to affect public health and negatively impact the environment, particularly air quality. At a time when reducing greenhouse gas emissions is becoming an evermore pressing issue at both the personal and political level, greater Ripe field N. Lee Pengilly constraints are going to be placed on agricultural Researcher and Author producers to look at alternatives other than burning to effectively manage straw. Saskatchewan producers have long been Although most combines come with a straw mindful of the shortcomings of burning albeit a quick chopper, many producers choose an “after-market” and easy method of dealing with the frustrations chopper to better meet their needs. Saskatchewan of flax straw. Through improved harvest technol- manufacturer, Redekop Manufacturing operating ogy, research generated by leveraged check-off out of Saskatoon, is a leader in straw and chaff dollars and the leadership of the Saskatchewan Flax management specializing in products that meet the Development Commission, producers have been challenges of producers. For more information go to able to and respond to alternate methods of dealing their website at www.redekopmfg.com or call them with it. In order for any strategy to be accepted by at 1.866.733.3567. They will also be represented producers it has to be financially viable as well as at many Trade Shows over the fall and winter environmentally and socially acceptable. In other including Agribition in November. words, it has to be sustainable. SaskFlax Board Member, Chris Hale has been At the present time, SaskFlax, through the Ag- chopping and spreading flax straw for the past ricultural Environmental Group Plan is in the process 18 harvests. Currently he is using a John Deere of developing Beneficial Management Practices that combine equipped with a two-part Redekop Kit. will meet that criterion. Some management practices Chris feels that combination is doing a good job on will focus on methods that will return the straw to the his operation in the Regina area. He admits the field where it can breakdown naturally increasing straw grows a little shorter there as compared to the health of the soil. Others will look to generating other places in the province and that helps. He does a profit from oilseed flax straw requiring a new not find it necessary to desiccate his crops and with suite of management practices that would supply a his management system including attention to his consistent and dependable source of flax fiber in a crop rotations he hasn’t had straw problems in the variety of value-added opportunities. following spring. Gregor Beck, also a SaskFlax Board Member Chopping and Spreading stresses the need to keep your chopper in good According to David Larson, Provincial Soils operating order. Given the volume of material Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and that is fed through the chopper, the blades need Food, a straw chopper is the primary tool for to be sharp and there are two methods of doing managing flax straw in Saskatchewan. Larson this – either by removing the blade and having it goes on to say, “In order to get the desired professionally sharpened or by upgrading to the results the producer needs to have an effective self-sharpening option. well maintained straw chopper and a combine Provincial Soils Specialist, Ken Panchuk con- with sufficient power to run it properly. There are firms that chopping and spreading straw and chaff a number of choppers that are effective for flax is a critical first step in a zero-till or min-till seeding and have the ability to spread the straw over the system. “A well maintained straw chopper is the key entire width of the swath.” to crop residue management.” Stripper header Chopping and spreading Stripper Header Technology When asked about the merits of purchasing a Other Stripper Header Straw Management Recent market surveys and on-going research stripper header Lyle feels the biggest consideration is Options indicate there are many potential products that could what to do with the straw still standing in the field after In a perfect world, all of Saskatchewan’s flax utilize flax fibers to complement or replace glass, the seed has been harvested. “To properly manage the fiber would have the option of moving into higher end synthetic and cotton fibers. straw takes a bit of work after it has been harvested. markets, but as realists we know that there will always There is growing optimism that Saskatchewan flax On our operation we have worked with cutting and bal- be some that doesn’t make it. It could be for any fiber will evolve from a “troublesome waste product” to an ing, or rolling, raking and baling so there are different one of several reasons including a want to return the economically positive stream of additional income for those options to look at.” straw to the soil for added ground cover and fertility, willing to take the additional time and effort and make According to Mark Stumborg out of Agriculture unfavourable weather conditions, a field that has too the necessary financial contribution in managing their and Agri-Food Canada’s Swift Current Research Station much second growth or an infestation of undesirable flax straw crop. According to Alvin Ulrich out of Saskatoon there is a number of economic advantages to using a plants. based Crop Fibers Canada, “Current research projects are stripper header. The biggest one is to further diversify For producers in this situation, or those that hoping to prove that Saskatchewan producers have the and improve a producer’s stream of income. Farmers have trouble managing flax straw in the spring, ability to produce higher quality straw on a consistent basis. can look at additional possible economic returns from Wayne Kalthoff, Territory Manager for Saskatchewan Positive results have been seen on small scale plots, but an acre of flax other than the seed. That being said, based Schulte Products recommends producers con- now it’s time to see if those same results can be achieved farmers have never had to worry about straw quality sider the use of a rotary cutter. Their newest release on a full field scale and throughout our growing region.” in the past but in order to access those higher end fiber Model FX742 is said to be the world’s largest rotary Demonstrations carried out with three producers from dif- markets new management strategies will have to be cutter giving a 42-foot cutting width.
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