A History of USA Pulses
the first Lentils in the US
The modern U.S. dry pea and lentil industry traces its roots to the rolling hills of eastern Washington and northern Idaho in the early twentieth century. In 1912, Spokane restaurant owner Joe Zeb planted the first known commercial dry peas near Fairfield, Washington, using seed brought from Canada. The crop’s success—yielding 180 bags—demonstrated both the agronomic suitability of the Palouse region and the growing market potential for dry peas. Other early pioneers soon followed, laying the groundwork for what would become a globally significant pulse industry.
Lentils entered U.S. production a few years later. In 1916, J.J. Wagner planted the first lentil seed in Farmington, Washington, after receiving seed from a Seventh-Day Adventist contact with knowledge of European markets. By 1917, Wagner was selling lentils commercially, marking the birth of the U.S. lentil market. These early successes coincided with the emergence of seed companies such as Washburn and Wilson Seed Company, which helped commercialize dry peas and lentils across the region.
Technological innovation
Technological innovation played a decisive role in the industry’s expansion. During the 1930s, Palouse farmer James Edward Love developed and patented the floating pea cutter bar, revolutionizing harvest efficiency and making large-scale pea and lentil production economically viable. This period also saw improvements in combine technology and the spread of improved lentil varieties, including the “Chilean” lentil, which opened production to a wider growing area.
WWII
World War II marked the industry’s first major growth surge. Demand for portable, protein-dense foods led the U.S. government to encourage farmers to dramatically expand dry pea acreage to “Feed Our Boys.” Acreage and prices climbed sharply throughout the war years, firmly establishing dry peas as a strategic food commodity. In the postwar period, the industry began to formalize its structure, beginning with the creation of the National Split Pea Association in 1945, the first national organization representing dry pea interests.
Pacific Northwest Pea Growers and dealers association
By mid-century, producers, processors, and exporters recognized the need for stronger regional coordination. In 1949, the Pacific Northwest Pea Growers and Dealers Association (PNWPGDA) was formed, notably including both growers and processors. At the same time, the industry invested heavily in data collection—acreage, production, stocks, and prices—understanding that credible statistics were essential for market development and government engagement.
Washington and Idaho producers associations
The early 1960s marked a turning point. Growers in Washington and Idaho formed formal producer associations to advocate for research, policy representation, and grower-funded commissions. Although early referenda were challenging, both states successfully established dry pea and lentil commissions by 1965, creating stable funding for research, promotion, and industry services. That same period saw the industry’s first collaboration with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service to promote U.S. peas and lentils overseas.
USA Dry Pea and Lentil council
Out of this collaboration emerged what would become the industry’s national voice. In 1964, a joint industry committee was formed to manage foreign market development programs, and in 1966 it formally adopted the name USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council. The Council represented the entire U.S. dry pea and lentil industry, coordinating export promotion, trade missions, and international marketing under USDA programs.
From the late 1960s through the 1980s, the industry experienced sustained growth and increasing sophistication. Investments in plant breeding through USDA-ARS and land-grant universities led to the release of higher-yielding, disease-resistant pea and lentil varieties. The industry expanded into new export markets across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, while also launching domestic promotion efforts, including school lunch programs and consumer campaigns like “Lentils for Lent.”
These decades were not without challenges. Producers faced major pest pressures, regulatory battles over pesticides, severe droughts, and even volcanic ash from the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption. Each challenge reinforced the value of coordinated industry action, research investment, and policy advocacy. By the early 1980s, chickpeas had joined peas and lentils as a viable regional crop, further diversifying the pulse sector.
Organizational consolidation followed. In 1988, the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council reorganized and incorporated in Idaho. In 1994, producer associations and the dealer organization merged governance structures to streamline operations, strengthening the industry’s unified voice. That same year marked the transition of leadership, with Tim McGreevy assuming the role of CEO following the retirement of longtime industry leader Harold Blain.
The late 1990s and 2000s ushered in a new era of policy and market success. Pulse crops were incorporated into federal farm safety-net programs beginning in the 2002 Farm Bill, securing marketing loans and revenue protection for growers. Export markets expanded rapidly, with U.S. pulse exports surpassing $100 million in 2004 and $400 million by 2013. Offices and representatives were established in key markets such as China, and trade barriers in India and the European Union were successfully navigated.
The industry also broadened its vision. In 2010, the American Pulse Association was formed in partnership with the U.S. Dry Bean Council, laying the foundation for coordinated health and nutrition research. These efforts culminated in major policy wins in the 2014 Farm Bill, including the Pulse Crop Health Initiative and programs to introduce pulse foods into school meals.
By 2015, the U.S. dry pea and lentil industry had evolved from a handful of pioneering farmers into a globally integrated sector. Hosting the Global Pulse Confederation conference in Las Vegas and unveiling the Global Pulse Brand symbolized the industry’s maturity and international leadership. More than a century after Joe Zeb planted his first peas, the U.S. pulse industry stood firmly positioned at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, trade, and sustainability.
Modern Growth
In 2016, the global pulse community reached a defining milestone with the International Year of Pulses, a designation proclaimed by the United Nations to highlight the role of pulses in nutrition, food security, and sustainable agriculture. Industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers collaborated to elevate awareness of dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans as affordable, nutrient-dense foods that improve soil health through nitrogen fixation and contribute to resilient farming systems. Educational campaigns, research initiatives, and coordinated outreach strengthened the industry’s voice and reinforced pulses as an essential component of healthy diets and sustainable agriculture, building momentum that continues to influence industry strategy today.
Building on this increased global visibility, the industry expanded its collaborative work in research, policy engagement, and market development through organizations including the Pulse Foundation. Investments in nutrition science, sustainability research, and consumer education reinforced a long-standing commitment to evidence-based messaging and long-term growth across the pulse value chain, while strengthening partnerships with health professionals, academic institutions, and international stakeholders.
In 2025, the industry entered a new chapter with the transition to USA Pulses, reflecting a broader and more unified direction for the future of dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans in the United States. The new identity brought together state check-off organizations, state grower groups, the USA Pulses Trade Association, and the Pulse Foundation under a shared framework focused on improving the health of people, soils, water, and the planet by increasing pulse consumption and production. While the industry’s core work in international marketing, domestic marketing, research, and policy engagement continued to evolve, the transition to USA Pulses represented a natural progression toward greater collaboration, expanded scope, and a more integrated “farm-to-fork” approach. With a near-term goal of doubling pulse consumption and production and a long-term vision of establishing pulses as a foundational food and cropping system, the industry positioned itself for continued growth and leadership in a changing global food landscape.