HELENA — Agriculture is Montana’s biggest industry, and along with staples like beef and wheat, another crop has taken root—pulses.
The Golden Triangle in north-central Montana has historically been wheat country. Justin Miller’s family has been farming in Gildford since the early 1900s.
“The name Golden Triangle comes from all the wheat fields,” Miller said. “I mean, the wheat fields were endless, you could see them for miles and that’s all there was.”
After generations of planting and farming wheat, Miller’s family decided to try something new. About 25 years ago, they planted peas.
“We were looking for a crop that was different than wheat,” Miller said.
A few years later, they planted chickpeas.
“We’ve been raising them ever since,” Miller said.
Pulse crops are plants in the legume family—things like chickpeas, lentils and dry edible peas.
According to a the 2024 Montana Agriculture Statistics report from the Montana Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Agriculture, Montana is the top producer of chickpeas lentils and dry edible peas in the United States. Preliminary numbers from 2023 put the production value of all three crops at more than $373 million.
Pulse crops don’t just bring in money, Miller said they also give back to the soil.
“Now we have a crop that is actually putting nitrogen back into the soil,” Miller said. “Not only does it feed the plant—the pea plant, or chickpea, or lentil—it’ll also feed the crop that comes behind it.”
Miller isn’t the only one raising pulses, numbers in the 2024 Montana Agriculture Statistics report show an upward trend in acres of pulses planted and harvested in Montana since 2014.
“It’s wheat country, but it’s also pulse country now,” Miller said.
Pulses are rich in nutrients like fiber, protein and iron. The Montana Department of Agriculture website offers ideas on how to incorporate pulses into your diet.
