When farmers think of Montana, its wide open spaces probably bring thoughts of cattle and wheat in nearly endless fields. There's another crop class gaining ground in the state, and it's made the state a leader in the U.S. The answer is pulse crops — those peas, lentils and dry beans that are popping up in fields all over the state.

In fact, Montana has seen pulse crop acreage jump considerably. The state reports that in the last decade, Montana has moved into the No. 1 spot for pea and lentil production in the U.S., and ranks third in chickpea (garbanzo bean) production.

Global demand for pulses is on the rise, as dietitians and nutrition experts push the notion that these types of foods, high in soluble fiber and quality protein, are good for the diet. And there's a growing global market, too. For example, in India pulses are popular imports in a country that can't keep up with domestic demand for the crop.

And global pulse crop production has been hit by weather, rising demand and loss of acreage to other crops. That tight supply has encouraged the pulse industry and major importing countries to look for new sources of supply.

Recently, the Montana State Department of Agriculture released its 2017 Buyers Guide: Montana Pulses, which is filled with interesting information about the crops in the state. The guide takes an in-depth look at the crops and other issues that involve how farmers can profit raising pulses. The guide also includes useful maps that show where specific pulse crops are raised.

The guide notes, for example, that lentil production rose by 121% since the 2015 guide was produced, with more than 490,000 acres planted to the crop. Chickpea production is on the rise, too, up 117% since 2015.

The guide also lists suppliers and pulse buyers with their contact information for public use. It's a working tool farmers can use for boosting their pulse business. You can download the free guide at bit.ly/pulsecropguide.

Source: Montana State Department of Agriculture