North America Insect Feed - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The north america insect feed market size reached USD 466.0 million in 2025 and is projected to expand from USD 505.8 million in 2026 to USD 862.2 million by 2031, registering a CAGR of 11.3% during the forecast period (2026 - 2031). This report is Segmented by Insect Type (Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm, and More), by Product Form (Insect Meal, Insect Oil, and More), by Application (Aquaculture, Poultry, and More), by End User (Commercial Feed Mills, and More), and by Geography (United States, Canada, Mexico, and Rest of North America). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD) and Volume (Metric Tons).

North America Insect Feed Market Trends and Insights

AAFCO and CFIA Approvals Expanding Permitted Feed Use

The pace of regulatory approvals remains the most operationally important growth driver in the North America insect feed market. Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) approved Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) tentative definition T60.117 in February 2024, which permitted use in salmonid, poultry, swine, and adult companion-animal food, and it also approved dried mealworm meal for adult dog food in January 2024 as the first mealworm-specific feed definition. Canada then introduced the Feeds Regulations 2024 in July 2024, which updated the national framework and simplified parts of the registration process for insect ingredient submissions. Each approval creates a new round of formulation work at commercial feed mills, so adoption tends to happen through repeat procurement cycles rather than a single purchasing decision. That pattern supports steady demand building in the North America insect feed market because each species and application approval opens another defined commercial lane. Canada’s Bill C-273, introduced in April 2026, adds another layer to this theme because provisional registration within 90 days for ingredients already approved in 2 or more jurisdictions could shorten commercialization timelines and strengthen Canada’s regulatory position.

Fishmeal and Soybean Meal Volatility Supporting Substitution

Price volatility in conventional feed proteins is giving the North America insect feed market a stronger economic footing than it had in earlier years. Global fishmeal prices reached USD 1,992 per metric ton in March 2026, up 40.9% year on year, while soybean meal stood at USD 312 per metric ton at the same point. This gap matters because it makes insect meal more relevant as a hedge for buyers exposed to fishmeal swings, even if insect meal still carries a premium to soy in many rations. FAO documented how El Niño-related anchovy quota reductions in Peru cut catches by 28% in 2023, which showed how quickly marine protein supply can tighten under climate stress. USDA market data from May 2026 also showed soybean meal at 46.5-48% protein trading at USD 315-360 per metric ton in U.S. corn-belt markets, so the soy benchmark remains difficult for insect meal to match on price alone. As a result, larger feed buyers are increasingly treating insect meal allocations as part of supply-chain risk management, which supports broader adoption in the North America insect feed market where fishmeal exposure is high.

Insect Meal Pricing Premium Versus Conventional Proteins

The largest commercial restraint in the North America insect feed market is still the pricing premium of insect meal against conventional proteins. USDA data from May 2026 showed soybean meal at USD 315-360 per metric ton, which stayed well below the cost of commercially produced insect meal. Fishmeal inflation has improved the substitution case in aquaculture, but swine and poultry buyers usually do not face a comparable price shock that would justify broad insect meal inclusion on economics alone. The cost curve for insect production is improving through scale, breeding advances, automation, and substrate integration, but recent setbacks show that this transition remains expensive and uneven. Darling Ingredients reported USD 58.0 million in restructuring and impairment charges in February 2026 related primarily to EnviroFlight and CTH natural casing businesses, which highlighted the pressure on current economics. Until more producers lock in multi-year contracts during favorable pricing windows, the North America insect feed market will continue to face limited penetration in commodity-grade rations.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Aquaculture Feed Formulators Seeking Domestic Fishmeal Alternatives
• Premium Pet Food Demand for Hypoallergenic Proteins
• Capital Scarcity for Large Automated Facilities

Segment Analysis

Black soldier fly larvae held 61.6% of North America insect feed market share in 2025, which kept BSFL clearly ahead of all other insect types in the North America insect feed market. Its position is supported by broad substrate versatility, the widest regulatory coverage, and stronger fit with automated production systems than most competing species. AAFCO’s T60.117 approval gave BSFL access to salmonid, poultry, swine, and adult companion-animal uses, which widened its commercial reach in both the United States and Canada. Mealworms are forecast to grow at a 17.0% CAGR from 2026 to 2031, helped by AAFCO’s January 2024 approval for adult dog food, which opened a premium companion-animal route for a new insect species.

BSFL also benefits from a more mature production profile in the North America insect feed industry, which gives buyers greater confidence in continuity of supply. Texas A&M AgriLife introduced the patented BSF Billet technology in January 2026, and the system points to 20-30% productivity gains along with room-temperature larval storage for weeks to months. Mealworms still have a meaningful opening because their value proposition is different from BSFL and more closely tied to premium pet nutrition than to bulk aquaculture volume. Crickets and houseflies remain smaller in scale, but they retain relevance where familiarity, palatability, or species-specific use cases support trial activity in the North America insect feed market.

Insect meal accounted for 57.6% of the North America insect feed market size in 2025, which kept protein concentrate as the largest product form in the North America insect feed market. This lead reflects its clearer regulatory standing, easier fit with existing feed formulation systems, and stronger evidence base across aquaculture and livestock uses. Buyers also value insect meal because its amino acid profile can work well in species-specific formulas where methionine and lysine balance matter. Insect oil is the fastest-growing product form with a 16.9% CAGR through 2031, supported by interest in BSFL lipids that are rich in lauric acid and are now being used for more than simple caloric substitution.

Whole dried insects still serve smaller but visible retail and specialty channels where visual simplicity and direct feeding matter, especially in backyard poultry and some companion-animal formats. The others category includes frass and puree, and both are becoming more commercially relevant as facilities move toward multi-output operating models. Entosystem’s Drummondville site and Innovafeed’s Decatur design both show that producers are structuring plants around protein, oil, and soil amendment rather than one output alone. That shift matters because the North America insect feed industry is increasingly rewarding product-form diversification, not just meal volume, as the basis for plant-level profitability.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Insect Type
  • Black Soldier Fly
  • Mealworms
  • Houseflies
  • Crickets
  • Others
• By Product Form
  • Insect Meal
  • Insect Oil
  • Whole Dried Insects
  • Others
• By Application
  • Aquaculture
  • Poultry
  • Swine
  • Pet Food
  • Other Animal Feed
• By End User
  • Commercial Feed Mills
  • Integrated Livestock Producers
  • Aquaculture Farms and Hatcheries
  • Pet Food Manufacturers and Others
• By Geography
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Rest of North America

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• EnviroFlight (Darling Ingredients Inc.)
• Enterra Feed Corporation
• Innovafeed SAS
• Protix B.V.
• Entosystem Inc.
• Oreka Solutions Inc.
• Oberland Agriscience Inc.
• Chapul Farms
• Amera Biotech
• BSFL Solutions Inc.
• Unique Biotech Inc.
• NutraFed, LLC
• Grubbly Farms
• Fluker's Cricket Farm, Inc.
• Nellie's Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support