b"protein to be used in numerous different plant-based protein products around the globe.The Prairies are one of the best regions in the world to grow pulses. We have western Canadian growers who produce large quantitieswe planted 4.3 million acres of peas in 2019 alone, he says.That represents a tre-mendous amount of fuel for the plant-based protein juggernaut.Its about choice. As we see protein markets rapidly shifting, people areAn artists rendering of the Merit Functional Foods processing plant being built in Winnipeg.choosing these proteins because of health concerns, commitment to the envi- 3 Reasons Pulses are Taking Offronment and planet, and some due to concerns over animal welfare. Tomiski has seen this25%firsthand in his own family circle. is the amount of lentil flour that My 86-year-old fathercan be added to durum pasta who was raised on a farmto boost its fibre content by44% of millennials say their pulse consumption and a carnivore all his life100% and protein content byhas increased as a result of promotional likes the new plant-based25% while lowering its carbonefforts designed to promote pulse cropsburgers. He is officiallyfootprint by up to 26%now a flexitarian.As more Canadians adopt alternative eating150 is the number of countries Canada supplies pulses to.habits, the seed industryCanada is the world's largest producer and exporter of dry peas and lentilsis watchingand seeingSource: Pulse Canadaopportunity. Tom Greaves, president of Manitobas Pitura Seeds, recentlypea and canola proteins for use in high- based protein products have their place, announced his companysvalue food applications such as planttoo. A lot goes into smoothies and as an involvement in a Proteinprotein-based food and beverage products. ingredient base in many other products, Industries Canada-fundedPitura Seeds involvement in the pro- Greaves says.project. The project willject will be two-fold. First, the companyAnytime we can add more process-develop high-quality peawill utilize its new seed cleaning planting capacity to our Canadian ag market, and canola proteins andto develop a set of cleaning standards tothats a good thing. Were creating another bring additional opportu- achieve optimal protein and quality levelsmarket thats bringing value add back to nities to western Canadianfor canola and peas. Second, Pitura SeedsCanadian farmers who grow peas and farmers. will source and test varieties to determinecanola. The partnership is beingwhich have the best agronomic fit for led by Merit Functionalgrowers in Western Canada, while meeting Foods and also includesthe quality needed for this application.The Winning Combination.A lot of the world eats plant-based The three businesses fromprotein already. Theres a big spot for meatWatch our entire Retail Roundtable webinaracross the value chain willas a wholemy family farm raises it andon this topic!Visit germination.ca/more-than-burgers/work together to developI love a good beef burgerbut plant-14GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2020"