In 2024 Montana Farmers produced more pulse crops like lentils, chickpeas and dry peas, than growers in any other state.
A report from the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council says that Canadian and US farmers grew more pulses this year reflecting positive market conditions and favorable forward pricing, despite challenging weather conditions in some areas.
In Canada lentil production is expected to be around 2.77 million tons a 54 percent increase from 2023, pea production is estimated at 3.01 million tons a 15.3 percent increase from the previous season, and chickpea production is projected to reach 330,000 tons which is more than double last year’s output.
According to USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, US Lentil production is forecast up 72 percent this year at 476,900 tons, dry pea production is estimated at 963,900 tons, an 8 percent increase from last year, and chickpea production is expected to be 306,600 tons up 33 percent from 2023.
In Montana 2024 lentil production was up 72 percent forecast at 351,900 tons which is nearly 74 percent of overall US lentil production. Dry pea production is forecast at 533,950 tons, an 18 percent increase from last year and accounting for 55 percent of US dry pea production. Chickpea production in Montana is expected to reach 110,250 tons, which is a 3 percent decrease from 2023 and accounts for nearly 36 percent of US dry pea production.
| Canada Production (In Tons) | US production (In Tons) | Montana Production (in Tons) | Montana Production as a percentage of US | |
| Lentils | 2,770,000 | 476,900 | 351,900 | 74% |
| Dry Peas | 3,010,000 | 963,900 | 533,950 | 55% |
| Chickpeas | 330,000 | 306,600 | 110,250 | 36% |
This is a video produced by Agristudios that features Montana Farmers Harvesting their pulse crops this year, Courtesy of the Montana Pulse Crop Committee.
Montana Farmers and Pulse Crops
In 2024 Montana accounted for nearly three-quarters of US lentil production, just over half of dry pea production and more than a third of chickpea production. Based on this information it’s obvious that pulse crops are a crucial part of agriculture in the Treasure State and a growing part of the industry nationwide.
To find out more about why pulse crops are popular with Montana Farmers I spoke with Kyle Vine who farms near Vida. Kyle’s family began to include pulse crops in their rotation about 15 years ago and he said the decision was predicated by several reasons.
“The price of fertilizer has increased over the years, and the cereal market has fluctuated up and down. It really supplements that part of it…how much fertilizer is needed on the grain side versus being able to cut back on some starter with the pulses.”
Vine also points to the marketing factors that make pulses attractive for his farm.
“Honestly the markets have been stronger on the pulse side of things. The export market has been huge, and hopefully as time allows, we can develop more of a domestic market as well.”
Pulses, as legumes, fix nitrogen into the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and can help increase soil health. Kyle says his farm has seen the benefits over time.
“Some of our ground has been fortunate enough to turn the corner and get healthier over time, and in those years when we get an abundant amount of moisture, we feel like our yields are definitely benefiting. Moving forward, our ground is in a better position.”
This is a video produced by Agristudios with several farmers describing pulse production on their operations, courtesy of the Montana Pulse Crop Committee.
Integrating Pulses with livestock
Montana Pulse Crop Committee member Blaine Juedeman farms near Geraldine, where his family raises pulses, oil seeds and small grains in addition to their cow-calf operation.
In the mid-2000’s Blaine’s family looked into research done at the Central Montana Ag Experiment station by Associate Professor Chengci Chen and began experimenting with pulse crops. Blaine returned home to the farm after college in 2014 and he says the family has increased the percentage of pulse crops being raised on the farm every year.
Blaine also integrates pulse crop production with his livestock operation.
“We supplement our cattle hay ration in the winter with yellow peas primarily, but we’ve also used screenings from chickpea seed or pea seed as well. The high protein content of the pulse crops is really valuable for our calf production. The cows really do well on it and they really like it, it almost replaces a cake in our operation, because the cows really enjoy eating it and we have it on hand.”
Blaine points out that many producers rely on multiple commodities like cattle, oil seeds and small grains to keep their operations successful.
“Many pulse crop producers benefit from the diversification that cattle production offers and vice versa. And the same goes for oil seeds and small grains as well,” Juedeman says, “It isn’t just wheat and barley or pulse crops or livestock or oil seeds individually, it’s the combination of these that make our ag economy strong. Lots of us rely on multiple facets of these crops for our livelihood and when one’s benefited, the others usually follow. Pulse crops are a great tool that we have for livestock production but it’s also a great tool for farming in general.”
The Nutritional Importance of Pulses
Pulse crops aren’t just important tools for agricultural producers, they can also have an important role in human nutrition and a healthy diet. Dr. Mary Miles is a professor and associate dean at Montana State University, specializing in research pertaining to nutrition, exercise, the gut microbiome and metabolic health. She studies how dietary changes affect human health, particularly through clinical trials.
According to Dr. Miles there are several major nutritional benefits from pulses.
- Pulses are an inexpensive source of protein, minerals and phytochemicals which are chemicals found in plants that help protect humans from disease.
- Pulses have a low glycemic index, making them suitable for blood sugar management.
- Pulses are High in Fiber, which supports gut health by feeding good microbes.
Miles says, “The connection between the gut microbiome and pulse crops are really that those pulses serve as resources and nutrients for good microbes, and they help them increase in abundance.”
A diverse gut microbiome is linked to better overall health and Dr. Miles says that pulse crops, like lentils, chickpeas and dry peas, serve as excellent prebiotics, which means that they help foster the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Value Added Opportunities
Not only are pulses healthy for humans to eat on their own, but researchers are also working to create exciting and new value-added food products from local products. At Montana State University work is already being done to develop value-added food products from Montana pulse crops.
Extrusion is a process that uses heat and force to change the physical properties of a substance. The Extrusion Lab at MSU uses locally produced pulse crops to make things like pasta, dried snacks, breakfast cereals and protein alternatives.
Sophia Seffrood is the manager of the Extrusion lab at MSU, and she says the lab provides a pilot to scale bridge for companies that are looking to commercialize new food products.
”We’re continuously doing trials for private companies and those are across the board on all sorts of products and grains and pulses and product formats.”
Sophia highlighted the importance of using local products for the extrusion lab and its impact on Montana Farmers.
“The purpose of our lab is to develop products, expand markets and increase the value for these crops that Montanans are growing.”
A Growing Industry
The pulse crop industry in Montana is expanding. Montana Farmers have found agronomic and economic benefits to incorporating lentils, chickpeas and dry peas in their operations. Outside of agriculture there is a growing awareness of pulses and legumes in the food industry, and the nutritional benefits from including these items in human diets. The MSU Extrusion Lab is creating opportunities for farmers, processors, and consumers through its development of value-added food products. Legumes like pulse crops are also an important part of human nutrition and play a role in healthy lifestyles for consumers. The future is bright for this industry.
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Northern Ag Network
