Representative Enterprise Budgets for Pea Grazing, Haying, and Harvest for Seed

Abstract

This policy issues paper presents representative enterprise budgets for the inclusion of dry edible peas into a wheat-based dryland rotation in Central Montana. Three uses of peas are considered: grazed by livestock, harvested for seed, and hayed. Peas have generated significant interest in dryland wheat systems recently as a potential replacement for fallowing in years with sufficient soil moisture. Peas fix some nitrogen, have other agronomic benefits, and with good stands are also competitive with many weeds. Peas do however have the potential to reduce soil moisture for subsequent crops compared to summer fallow.