Lee Pawlowski, left, raises wheat, corn, mustard and a variety of peas and lentils in Circle, Mont. He and his wife, Hayley, right, welcomed their daughter, Juniper, in February. Image courtesy of Hayley Heser Photography Americans Are Spending More on Their Pets $40 $35 $30 Dollars, billions > merchant trading for LinkOne Ingredient Solutions based in Monett, Mo. All the peas and about 80 percent of the canola oil Green purchases from CHS are used by pet food manufacturers, he says. “We also buy dry beans and millet from CHS for the pet food market. CHS is one of our largest suppliers of pet food ingredients.” The U.S. pet food market is steadily growing 3 to 5 percent year over year, Green adds. “The U.S. leads in having furry animals as companions, but pet ownership is growing in China and South America, too.” $25 $20 $15 $10 $5 0 Food and treats Supplies, live animals and OTC medicine Veterinary care Other services on their furry companions is rising, too. Americans spent an all-time high of more than $95 billion on their pets in 2019, with pet food and treats representing the largest category, APPA reports. 2018 2019 2020 (estimated) Source: American Pet Products Association Upward Trends About 67 percent of U.S. households include a pet, compared to 11 percent in 1988, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). When COVID-19 reached the U.S. earlier this year, families flocked to animal shelters to adopt new friends. Many shelters across the country announced for the first time that all available animals had been adopted. The amount of money families are willing to spend “Demand for plant-based protein and pet food has kept peas a viable crop for us to grow.” — Lee Pawlowski “Consumers are paying closer attention to pet food ingredients. Many are willing to pay more for higher-end ingredients,” says Wyn Johnson, territory sales manager for Consumers Supply Distributing, a wholesale distributor and manufacturer of agricultural and animal nutrition products based in Sioux City, Iowa. Rich in protein, vitamins and fiber, dry yellow peas are a popular ingredient in grain-free pet food. 18 SUMMER 2020 CHSINC.COM