It’s time to take a pulse of pulses. Rather, USDA takes an annual pulse of pulse crops, production, price, etc., with those findings now available. Now, while you may not be familiar with the term pulse from a food standpoint, you have probably purchased pulse products at your local supermarket or retailer.
“Pulse crops are dry beans, dry peas, lentils and chickpeas. Chickpeas also known as garbanzo beans.”
So, whether your preference is lentil soup, hummus as your veggie or pita chip dip, or beans for your homemade chilies or baked beans, Agriculture Department Research Economist Wilma Davis acknowledges if you love pulses, you should have interest in the main takeaways from the latest USDA Vegetable and Pulse Outlook.
“Planted acreage in 2026 declined for all four groups, and that’s after expanding during the previous two years. That’s over 710,000 fewer acres than in 2025.”
Lentil and dry beans led to pulse acreage decline, with less chickpeas and dry peas planted as well.
“North Dakota and Montana account for much of the 2026 pulse acres decline, especially dry beans in North Dakota and lentils in Montana. Why did producers plant fewer pulse acres? So, the short version is recent supplies, weaker exports and lower grower prices provide the context for that acreage adjustment.”
Lower prices received by growers are also noted for all four pulse categories for the marketing year to date.
“U.S. driving prices for the major driving classes, and that was for Blacks, dark red kidneys, Great Northerns, Navy pea beans, Tentos are lower. Similarly for chickpeas, prices are also down, a sharper decline in the Pacific Northwest than the Minnesota and North Dakota region. Lentil prices were at $45.3 per 100 weight in July of 2024, but all the way through May 2026 is now sitting at 17.”
As for per capita availability for consumers:
“Our preliminary 2025 dry peas, lentils and chickpea per capita availability increased, but dry beans declined modestly.”