Oats, Peas, Canola at High Demand for Protein-Rich Diets and Sustainable Food Trends

Due to new trends in protein-rich diets and environmentally friendly and sustainable food or eating practices, oats, peas, and canola are in high demand.

The demand for particular foods among consumers has made it possible for northern Plains farmers to sell their products in more markets.

Field peas, oats, and canola, which are produced on varying acreages in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, have seen price increases due to increased demand.

Consumer Demands

Near Wolford, North Dakota, Paul and Diane Overby run Lee Farms, where they cultivate 1,300 acres with these three crops as well as sunflowers, hard red spring wheat, flax, and soybeans. They grow seven to eight grain and row crops rather than large fields of two to three different crops.

The fields used by the Overbys to grow their crops are typically 70 acres in size, which is at least half the area of the fields used by many farmers to grow conventional crops like corn. The couple's 1,300 acres of farmable land allow them to grow more than six different crops, necessitating the smaller fields.

The Overbys have experimented with a number of crops over the years. A few, like fava beans, are no longer grown, but the majority are now consistently included in their rotations.

According to Overby, food companies have contracted with farmers for acreage in order to ensure that they can meet the rising demand for certain foods as consumer demand has increased.

Contracting Prices

About half of the Overby family's contracted field pea, canola, oat, sunflower, and flax acres for 2023 have already been planted. Overby's price risk is reduced by contracting the acreage. They are not forced to rely on the cash market because they know their set price going into the growing season. The Overbys anticipated starting to lock in their next price in the upcoming month.

Protein-Rich Demand

Yellow field peas have the potential to become a highly sought-after crop in the world of specialty crops. According to PIP International's CEO Christina Lewington, a new method of extracting pea protein will revolutionize plant-based proteins and give farmers more opportunities to market their yellow pea crop.

PIP International is an agricultural technology company in Alberta. The company's method of extracting proteins, which differs significantly from those employed by other businesses, was developed in the pharmaceutical sector, according to Lewington.

In contrast to other pea proteins, which aren't always tasty, the company's method of extracting the protein yields a product with a "good clean taste," according to Lewington.

According to the CEO, the pea protein will be extremely functional for use in all industries, including beverages.

Niche Crops

According to Overby, growing niche crops may offer opportunities for small farmers to remain profitable. The couple also thinks it may offer young people who want to start farming cheaply a way to grow their crops sustainably as well as connect with consumers, The Dickinson Press reports.

In 2021, Medical News Today listed 15 best plant-based foods that are high in protein. Their list includes, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, spirulina, quinoa, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and beans. In October of this year, Everyday Health published a medically reviewed list of 10 plant-based sources of protein, which includes lentils, chickpeas, hemp seeds, and tofu, among others. The demand for these food products are shaping niche farms that produce niche crops.