This makes Manitoba the third largest pea-producing province in Canada. To maintain their position in the pea market, both Manitoba and Canada continually promote leading-edge research to foster improvements in variety, production and processing. Manitoba researchers and producers also actively participate in progressive research and development studies to discover new uses of component pea parts such as pea fibre, starch and protein. Manitoba's ongoing research includes a quality focus in which all products are backed by Canada's strict food safety assurance system. It is this quest for excellence that has brought the Manitoba pea industry to where it is today.
Processing occurs both within Winnipeg and throughout the surrounding region.
There are several companies in Manitoba that clean, split and bag peas for export. Other processing in Manitoba includes the refinement of pea starch and protein, the production of fine and coarse pea hull fibre, and the production of consumer packaged goods such as pea soups. As well, feed quality peas are used in hog rations as an alternative protein source to soy and canola meal. The majority of peas produced by Manitoba producers are yellow peas for food and livestock feed, while a smaller amount of green peas are also produced. Some of the food quality peas are shipped to canneries in Eastern Canada, however the majority of food pea exports are shipped to countries such as Spain, Belgium, the United States and Mexico.