BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Searching for new manufacturing ventures, state economic development officials say the production of premium pet foods holds promise for Louisiana.
A newly issued report by the state economic development agency says Louisiana produces many raw materials used in such pet foods. Those include fish and meat meals, fats and oils, wheat and soybeans.
The report also says the state is connected to an extensive transportation network and has available manufacturing sites.
Economic development officials say U.S. pet food sales grew at an average rate of 4.7 percent between 1996 and 2005 and exports have grown more than 7 percent over the past decade.
