NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota
State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
October 15, 1998
A Word to Omega Flaxseed Producers: Patience
North Dakota farmers produced several thousand bushels of Omega flaxseed this year. Now comes the next step: marketing what they produced. Unfortunately, most Omega flaxseed buyers currently have their storage bins full, say two agronomists from North Dakota State University.
"Omega producers may have to be patient until Omega buyers resume their purchases," says Duane Berglund, extension agronomist at NDSU.
Released by NDSU and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, Omega is a golden or yellow-seeded variety that is relatively new. Omega is best utilized as a food ingredient, but it also can be processed for linseed oil the same as the brown-seeded varieties.
Berglund and Jack Carter, retired NDSU agronomist and president of the Flax Institute of the United States, suggest that Omega producers store their flaxseed until demand picks up in the flax-for-food markets.
"The loan price will continue on flaxseed, so there appears to be little or no risk that the price will fall below current prices of about $4.60 to $5.00 at country elevators or at the processors," Carter says.
Berglund says it appears that supplies of the Foundation class of certified Omega seed are limited. So, seed producers with a good supply of the Registered class of certified Omega seed may want to save and condition Omega seed lots to sell this winter and next spring.
Another option for producers is the export market, particularly the European countries, Carter says. There is a good potential for exporting Omega flaxseed with a cadmium content at or below 0.3 parts per million.
Omega producers wishing to have their yellow flaxseed tested for cadmium can send a one-cup sample to the following address: Jack Carter, Plant Sciences, NDSU, Box 5051 University Station, Fargo, ND 58105-5051.
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Source: Duane Berglund (701) 231-8135
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136