Making the case for flax: an old crop has renewed potential.(GREEN REPORT)

Can the Algoma district, near Sault Ste. Marie, be a future commercial hub for flaxseed production?

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Ross McLeod, a Sault-based crop specialist with Science Enterprise Algoma (SEA), is eager to find out.

He's working with area agriculture groups on a study to demonstrate if flax can be profitable to diversify crop production in Northern Ontario.

Flax is a versatile plant. As a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, the linseed oil squeezed out of flaxseed can be used as a high protein booster for animal feed, and can be used to make linen, dye, rope, paper, fishing nets, medicine and soap.

Like other oilseeds, it also has some potential to be used in the production of biodiesel. Camelina, a species of wild flax, is being studied in the United States (U.S.) as a biodiesel feedstock.

Flax is grown almost exclusively in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The farmland east of the Sault toward the Bruce Mines and Thessalon area are considered ideal with its clay mix of sand and loam.

McLeod said well before any such industry takes hold, there's a myriad of market and cost variables to show farmers that growing flax can turn a profit.

For one thing, transportation costs are crucial.

McLeod paid particular attention to a failed Sudbury biodiesel venture where the proponent intended to truck southwestern grown canola to a northern processing facility.

"That doesn't make any sense," said McLeod. "If you're moving a bulk commodity like grains, it's either rail or water."

Communities like the Sault, Bruce Mines and Thessalon have advantages of both rail and port facilities to allow growers to move flax cheaply, rather than solely by truck.

They also need to determine if it's more economical to send flaxseed outside the Algoma district for primary crushing into oil, or do it locally, then ship it out as a value-added product.

"There's a number of places on the North Shore where a primary processing facility can be built ... or to renovate a building with rail, water and road access."

Those questions should become clearer in February when their consultants, Natural Capital Resources, release a study showing if the Algoma district can support a flax oil seed and fibre industry.

With the crop trials as background, the whole package will be used as a funding tool to government agencies.

If there's one thing McLeod is sure of it is that flax grows pretty well in the area.

Field trials with local farmers have been underway for two years. After some early harvesting problems with stem breakage, one grower, north of Bruce Mines, harvested 3.4 tons on a five-acre plot (about .7 tons per acre). McLeod said that's on par with national averages.

It's an economic plant to grow too, with minimal fertilizer needed and no herbicides. "As far as we can tell, it produces fairly well regardless of the weather conditions," said McLeod.

With more field trials upcoming, McLeod is writing up a report on their discoveries to turn over to the Algoma Federation of Agriculture and Algoma Soil and Crop Improvement Association. "If someone finds a commercial opportunity there, they're welcome to it."

Developing new forestry and agriculture opportunities is part of the driving force behind a science park proposal for Sault Ste. Marie.

Under the label called the Convergence Centre, the concept is to create a research campus at a Sault-based federal lab, the Great Lakes Forestry Centre, if they can get government buy-in.

The campus of Algoma University would be a fall-back option.

Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre executive director Tom Vair, who's housed in the university's ICT building, would welcome the chance to grow out their crowded business incubator space into science-related light manufacturing.

What they want is something similar to what Sudbury's Cambrian College is building with their new NORCAT Innovation and Commercialization Park geared toward mining industry needs.

"We've talked with (NORCAT's CEO) Darryl Lake to learn about this initiative," said Vair, and their concept of linking academic research, with business and support services.

Vair says with Ottawa pushing a science and technology strategy and Queen's Park promoting an innovation agenda, the Sault has a local research and commercial niche in the forest sciences.

Two growing local biotech companies, BioForest Technologies and SITTM Technologies, are both looking for manufacturing space and are potential tenants.

One of the centre pieces will be an Invasive Species Centre to study and fight environmentally-damaging insects and other pests.

"We need space to serve both the private and academic sector," said SEA director Errol Caldwell, who has funding applications for the science park in to FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

"You've got to tie it to your regional strengths for it to make sense and crystallize that demand."

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

By IAN ROSS

Northern Ontario Business

www.seainnovation.com

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates