Flax is a blue-flowered plant that has been grown and consumed for thousands of years.

Flax is thought to have originated in the Middle East or Indian regions as far back as 7000 BC. The use of flax stem fibre and seed oil can be traced back to early civilizations in Egypt and the Middle East.

Over the centuries, flax production spread across Europe, Africa and finally to North America. It is the first oilseed to be widely grown in Western Canada, with production believed to have begun as early as 1617.

Now Canada is the largest producer and exporter of flax. The majority of Canadian-produced flax is grown in Saskatchewan.