Organic flax for pets

A Saskatchewan company has launched organic flax supplements for pets. JUKA Flax Products of Canada says it has products on the shelves of over 50 pet food stores across Western Canada. The company’s organic flax products are “expected to advance pet nutrition and health in a market where pet food’s nutritional content is in question.” Their products include names such as Flax Forward and Canine Crunch.

JUKA is saying really nice things about Canadian flax and its nutritional properties and it’s good for the flax industry to receive this praise. The news release was distributed by the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission. I’m sorry to rain on the parade, but I have a couple problems with organic flax supplements in pet foods.

First of all, it’s amazing to see what people will spend on their companion animals. Organic flax is typically much more expensive than conventionally produced flax. We’ve become a society in which a lot of pets are treated better than a lot of people.

My second concern is how science is mixed with philosophy. One on hand, people are supposed to believe the health benefits of flaxseed. These benefits are real and have been proven scientifically. The supposed health benefits of organic production have little or no scientific basis.

But, in the end, the customer is always right, and obviously many consumers are willing to lavish lots of money on their pets.

I’m Kevin Hursh

DynAgra, an independent Western Canada-based Company, is dedicated to providing growers with the tools to manage the risk and maximize the profitability of their farm business through the continued innovation of agricultural products and services. We are committed to developing and providing growers with the latest in precision agronomics, variable rate technology, soil fertility, crop protection, fertilizers, custom application and financial solutions.