Moving up from almost no production in the 1980s, Montana is now the largest producer of field peas and lentils in the US, and the third largest producer of garbanzo beans (chickpeas in Europe). Montana farmers have taken what used to be a valuable green manure crop, and developed an important cash crop while at the same time reducing fertiliser costs.
As a consequence, TradeScope takes a group of European buyers of specialty grain and pulses to Montana each year.
From a meeting during the June 2016 trip, a Turkish pulses and rice broker purchased 12 containers of lentils from a Montana processor valued at at roughly $276,000.
European buyers recognise innovation and quality products.
