Pulse Crop Initiatives

Pulse Crop Initiatives

Pulse Crop Initiatives. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

 

If a pair of new federal initiatives supported by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Maria Cantwell can get inserted into the farm bill it will benefit students and farmers. Senator Crapo says they have sent a letter to the Farm Bill Conference Committee.

 

CRAPO: The first project which we are recommending is a Pulse School Pilot program that would offer a 5-year pilot program to provide pulse crops which are a healthy and cost effective product to our schools. What we are finding is that this is a very budget effective and health effective product for our school pilot food programs and that these products which are very high in fiber and high in potassium are very significant in the part of the food programs that we want to see implemented in our schools.

 

The second initiative is called the Pulse Health Initiative.

 

CRAPO: Which would support expanded research in general into the health and nutritional benefits of pulse crops and in particular we believe that a very strong focus should be made on the ability of beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils to reduce obesity and chronic disease. Currently 17% of our young people in the United States between the ages of 12 and 19 are obese which puts them at a high risk of diabetes and high blood pressure and high cholesterol and our Pulse crops have the potential to reduce obesity and diabetes and improve healthy hearts.

 

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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