The North Dakota Barley Council wants to market their product to the pet food industry. Barley Council member Mark Seastrand said the market offers some opportunity. “It’s a growing market,” said Seastrand. “In the past, we’ve concentrated on the malt barley side of things. Years ago, the feed barley side. Now we’ve got kind of a new market in-between. It’s a pearling market, both for human consumption, but mainly for pet food.” Seastrand says the pearling market has advantages. “The pet food market just wants a nice, plump kernel at the end of the day that’s low on DON. Variety isn’t going to be as big a concern.”
