The western prairies have been described as a sea of canola. Floating somewhere adrift are crops like flax. Crops that are full of potential, but are at risk of falling to more profitable crops like canola and soybeans. Keeping these fringe crops afloat to develop some of that potential means finding better cropping systems. One of the challenges is finding funding for genetic research and extension work to ensure crops like flax have a future in Canada.
No single person has been a bigger champion for the long term potential of flax like John Oliver.
John Oliver is a President of Maple Leaf Bio-Concepts. He is a big believer in the potential of flax on the prairies and its part in a sustainable cropping system. I spoke with him about the potential for flax as well and the threat of monoculture on the prairies.
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