FLAX DAY 2005

Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
“Flax: Growing Value”
January 10, 2005
Saskatoon Inn
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Annual General Meeting

Committee chairs reported on the year to date actions carried out by SFDC and the actions pending until July 31, 2005

Research continues to be a priority.

Communications included newsletters, the web site and a field day.  Flax as a feed ingredient for the beef industry and aquaculture continued to be an area of interest to SFDC.  This past year saw SFDC working with AmeriFlax to showcase flax to the American food industry through food shows and information dissemination.  Flax fiber continued to be a very busy segment of SFDC with operations ranging from research in the woven and nonwovens market to the establishment of a fiber pilot plant.

Actions pending until July 31, 2005 include newsletter production and maintaining a presence on a number of committees in the industry to ensure that flax is being recognized for its many attributes.  Attending various food conferences and food shows as well as compiling and disseminating consumer information will help to ensure an awareness of the benefits of flax to humans.  Standards development and the establishment of the pilot project for flax fiber will be the priority for the fiber committee.  The National Flax Initiative will be an important aspect of the development of the flax industry.

The budget was approved as presented.

The Annual general Meeting was just one important segment of a successful day.  Flax:  Growing Value saw the audience of 225 plus producers, academia and industry representatives interact on such topics as flax as an ingredient for human and animal consumption; breeding flax to enhance straw fiber content to market prices.

The Commission was pleased to have the Honourable Mark Wartman address delegates and meet informally with Directors of the Commission to discuss such issues as regional variety testing, and seed sector review to the importance of agriculture as an economic driver in the province.

Resolutions from AGM

Variety Registration Category
Whereas agronomic quality and disease data are important to the long term success of the flax industry and

Whereas the data collected in the currently system of prior merit assessment are important to all flax industry stakeholders;

Be it resolved that the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission supports moving flax to Category 1) in schedule A as a crop kind requiring Prior Merit Assessment in combination with Performance Information in order to receive a recommendation for registration.

Individual Crop Kind Committees For Variety Recommendation
Whereas the CFIA may be open to recognizing new forms of recommending committees for variety registration, and;

Whereas flax has unique requirements for variety registration in terms agronomics, quality and disease;

Be it resolved that the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission supports the Seed Sector Review’s recommendation of establishing Individual Crop Kind Committees for variety recommendations.