Pulse Crops Get Marketing Boost

Pulse Crops Get Marketing Boost Lentils and chickpeas are getting a big boost as soil-building cash crops from the Dakotas to Washington and Oregon. For nearly 40 years, Montana farmers have produced, processed and promoted organic pulse crops through Timeless Seeds, a company started by four Montana farmers. By 2024, Timeless had grown to more than 20,000 acres under contract. Acquired by MAD Markets, a public benefit corporation, opportunities to produce the pulse crops are exploding in Montana and neighboring states. “We hope to triple the number of acres grown,” says Alex Heilman, MAD Markets CEO. “We increased contract acres by about 25% in 2025 and plan to continue increasing acres dramatically.” Montana will remain the main production area. However, MAD Markets has signed contracts with farmers from North Dakota to Nebraska and westward to Washington state. Primary goals for MAD Markets include improving soil health on farms and expanding market demand for the crop. “Having pulse crops in a cropping rotation is key to soil health,” says Heilman. “We want to amplify the markets for them.” MAD Markets began as a brokering partner for farmers as part of MAD Agriculture. That Colorado-based organization was formed in 2019 to promote regenerative agriculture. It’s grown rapidly from promotion to providing financing, land and business planning, as well as other resources for regenerative farmers. In 2024, MAD Markets became a stand-alone organization. “Regenerative farmers need technical assistance with on-farm support, capital and partners to sell to,” says Heilman. “Our job at MAD Markets was to find end users. However, the missing middle was processing.” Timeless Seeds had long since developed the processing needed. They’d also developed a broad array of trademarked lentils and chickpeas and built a national and international reputation for quality. “Acquiring Timeless Seeds and moving out of a non-profit to a public benefit corporation made sense if we wanted to move the needle on regenerative farming,” says Heilman. “Most of the acres we contract for are organic,” he says. “But we’re also working with non-desiccant-sprayed, non-GMO crop acres. We’re working with both individuals and grower groups.” MAD Markets also represents the Perennial Promise Growers’ Cooperative (PPGC). The co-op accounts for 30% of Kernza acres. “We do their processing and contract with the end user,” says Heilman. “The challenge is to build a base of suppliers while building demand from end users. It isn’t easy to get a food company to work with a new product like Kernza. It requires testing, recipe development and more.” In the case of Timeless Seeds, MAD Markets has growers, processing and a current list of customers. While the challenge is to increase all three, the timing is right, explains Heilman. Timeless Seeds products are available on the Timeless Food website and through the MAD Markets distribution system. The Timeless Food website includes an extensive recipe section for lentils, chickpeas and more. Farmers interested in contracting with MAD Agriculture/Timeless Seeds should contact the company agronomist, Joseph Kibiwott. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Timeless Seeds, Inc., P.O. Box 331, Ulm, Mont. 59485 (ph 406-866-3340; joseph@timelessfood.com; www.timelessfood.com; www.madmarkets.com).

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