CHICAGO, April 23 - Faced with a farm economy battered by depressed crop prices, trade restrictions and soaring input costs, some U.S. growers are turning to pulses - peas, lentils and chickpeas - as a pragmatic way to protect margins. For Aaron Smith, a fifth-generation producer in northern Idaho, the combined effect of a social media-driven interest in protein and a rapid expansion of GLP-1 medication use has made pulses the likeliest path back to profitability this year.
Farm incomes have been under significant pressure. Low crop prices have been driven by a grain surplus, while tariffs tied to the trade actions of former President Donald Trump have further strained markets. At the same time, fertilizer and diesel prices have climbed, compressing returns. U.S. farmers are now confronting a fourth consecutive year of low-to-negative profit margins despite near-record government payments. Court records show farm bankruptcies rose by 46% from 2024 to 2025.
Against that backdrop, pulses have provided a comparatively bright option. Growers describe protein-focused consumer trends and new dietary habits as a demand tailwind that makes planting peas and lentils an attractive hedge. "We’ve been waiting for this moment to happen," said Smith, who is shifting acreage away from wheat, whose market prices he described as too low. "This can be a gamechanger."
Planting and market shifts
Pulses are not new to rotational cropping systems; many farmers already alternate grain plantings with pulses to reduce disease risk and to introduce nitrogen into the soil. Their seeds are relatively low-cost and, by fixing nitrogen, the crops require less fertilizer - a key advantage as fertilizer supplies tighten following disruptions linked to the U.S.-Iran war.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show planted acres of yellow peas have climbed 55% over the past 15 years. At the same time, U.S. yellow pea exports fell 81% between 2021 and 2025, according to U.S. Customs data, a divergence that experts interpret as evidence the incremental supply is being consumed domestically rather than shipped overseas.
For many growers the calculus is straightforward. McKade Mahlen, a fourth-generation farmer in Montana, said peas and lentils may be his only profitable crops this year. Mahlen estimated he will lose roughly $35 for every acre of wheat planted while earning about $8 per acre for lentils. "Finally, we’ve found something that has a positive margin for us," he said.
Food-industry response and product innovation
Food companies and ingredient processors have invested in pulse-based protein for several years. Large agricultural processors market pea protein isolates for use across an array of consumer products, while partnerships between major commodity firms and pea-protein specialists have expanded capacity.
Examples of pulse-derived products are becoming mainstream. A version of a popular breakfast cereal developed in collaboration with a sports nutrition brand contains 17 grams of protein per serving, compared with 2 grams in the original. Pea protein isolates are being added to flavored beverages and lentil flour is increasingly used in pastas and other processed items. Puris, a company that transforms peas into protein isolates, partnered with a major agricultural firm in 2018, and its CEO, Tyler Lorenzen, said demand for pea protein surged during the pandemic as consumers pursued health-focused options. "It’s the same foods people already love to eat, but they’re more rich in protein," Lorenzen said. "Protein is more in the mainstream zeitgeist today than it has ever been."
Nutrition debate and marketing dynamics
Nutrition experts caution that consumer enthusiasm for protein is out of step with average dietary needs. Johns Hopkins University data cited by experts indicate the average American already consumes roughly 1 gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, exceeding the 0.8 grams per kilogram figure commonly recommended by many authorities. In January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services updated its guidance, controversially raising the recommended daily protein intake for adults from 0.8 grams to a range of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.
Critics say the combination of heightened recommendations and social media promotion has encouraged a market for protein-fortified products that may not provide meaningful nutritional benefits to most people. Stuart Phillips, a nutrition and exercise researcher at McMaster University, said, "There is no epidemic of protein underconsumption. You don’t need protein water, protein waffles, protein chocolate." Influencers on platforms such as TikTok are promoting "protein maxxing," urging large amounts of protein at each meal, and sometimes making claims about curing chronic illness, aiding weight loss or improving skin that nutrition experts view as dubious. Some influencers - including stay-at-home parents sharing recipes - push high-protein versions of comfort foods like banana bread, claiming benefits such as muscle rebuilding after childbirth.
Users of GLP-1 medications - a fast-growing group that made up roughly 12% of the U.S. population in 2025 - are another cohort driving demand for protein-dense options. Many GLP-1 users seek higher-protein foods to reduce muscle loss, a common side effect of these medications. Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies and public health, criticized how marketers have capitalized on this need: "Marketers of protein are exploiting this," she said. "It’s nutritionally hilarious." She counseled consumers to prioritize whole foods: "Just eat food. If you want pea protein, eat peas. If you want lentil protein, eat lentils. If you want whey protein, eat cheeses or yogurts or whatever."
Outlook for farmers and the food supply chain
Producers and trade groups say pulses offer practical advantages in the near term because of low input requirements and the soil benefits they provide, giving them a relative edge while fertilizer costs remain elevated. Tim McGreevy, a farmer and CEO of USA Pulses, said, "Pulses have the most hope for coming out of this in better shape because input costs are so low."
At the same time, the long-term sustainability of demand remains uncertain. While planted acres have grown and processors have expanded product lines, domestic consumption trends and changes in dietary guidance could influence future returns. For now, however, some growers see pulses as a viable way to blunt the pain of a multi-year downturn in farm profitability.