Greetings, and welcome to NBGA's April 2026 newsletter!

It may be hard to believe, but spring is already officially here. As planting season begins, we wish everyone a safe and productive season.

If you are in the area, we would like to invite you to join us for our second annual People’s Choice Bean Competition with Scheels ND BBQ. Come vote for your favorite bean dish, submitted by world class BBQ competitors! Check the Northarvest in the News & on the Move section of this newsletter for more details.

In this newsletter, you'll also find a link to the PDF of the new Spring 2026 BeanGrower publication, NDSU recommendations for optimizing fungicide application timing for white mold in pinto beans, recipe ideas that include the classic beans + rice pairing, and much more. Please note that the announcements have been moved to the last section of the newsletter, so be sure to read until the end for important announcements.

If you can, please consider sharing this newsletter with someone else to help us spread the word. Anyone can subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter here.

Happy reading!

Photo from NBGA Spring Board Meeting

April 2026 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• NDSU Recommendations & Research Findings
• Spring 2026 BeanGrower
• Bean Institute: Beans & Rice
• Bean Nutrition Corner: Beans Offer Wins for the Planet & People
• Northarvest in the News and on the Move
• The Dry Bean Scene
• Announcements

Below, you can find links to the most recent USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Reviews. Click on the date to see the report.

• The next USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market report will be released soon. You will be able to find that report here.

• For the Dry Edible Beans Daily Grower Bids, check here.

• 2025 Bean Market Summary. You can find the full report by USDA linked here.

• April 13, 2026: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light. According to the NASS Prospective Plantings report March 31, 2026, dry edible beans 1,236,00 vs 1,366,00 for 2025 acres, dry edible peas 1,174,000 vs 1,173,000 for 2025 acres, lentils 832,00 vs 1,072,000 for 2025 acres, and chickpeas 499,000 vs 536,000 for 2025 acres."

• April 6, 2026: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light."

• March 30, 2026: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light."

• March 23, 2026: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light."

• March 16, 2026: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light."

• March 9, 2026: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light."

NDSU Plant Pathology Website Updated with Key White Mold Recommendations & 2025 Research Findings

The dry bean white mold section of the NDSU Carrington plant pathology website has been updated and now includes an updated fungicide timing, frequency and interval recommendations for pinto and kidney beans with results from the 2025 field season.

If you scroll down, you will find the following sections under the heading of Optimizing the management of white mold in dry beans with fungicides:

• Comparative fungicide efficacy
• Optimizing fungicide droplet size
• Optimizing fungicide application timing when conditions favor white mold as dry beans enter bloom
• Optimizing fungicide application interval (days between applications) and frequency (number of applications)
• Optimizing fungicide spray volume

Updated Recommendations for Optimizing Fungicide Application Timing for White Mold in Pinto Beans

Center Points, a weekly newsletter from the NSDU Carrington Research Extension Center, recently shared an article: Updated recommendations for optimizing fungicide application timing for white mold in pinto beans. The article was written by NDSU Research Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch.

Several of the recommendations are highlighted in the excerpts below, and you can find the full article with many more details here.

Recent findings from large tractor-applied field studies testing fungicide application timing, interval and frequency for white mold management in pinto and kidney beans have provided new insights on improving white mold management in dry beans.

1. When conditions favor white mold as dry beans enter bloom, the optimal application timing of fungicides targeting white mold changes with the number of applications being made. 
   
2. The optimal application interval (number of days between applications) changes with the number of applications being made, severity of white mold pressure, and maturity length of the dry bean variety. 
   
3. White mold management (disease control, yield) improves as the number of fungicide applications increases. 
   
4. Rotating fungicide chemistries in two-and three-application fungicide programs improves white mold management. 



Fungicide applications only protect the canopy that is present at the time of the application. 

NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy Study

AgWeek recently published an article titled NDSU study shows difficult situation for dry bean growers. Northarvest Bean Growers Association asked for an NDSU Agricultural Risk Policy study that showed dry bean farmers in the state and nation need help due to high input costs and low bean prices, and the AgWeek article addresses several of the key findings. You can read the full article by clicking on the button below.

Beans and rice is a classic, delicious, satisfying pairing! Check out these recipes to expand your beans and rice recipe repertoire.

All recipes and photos below are courtesy of the Bean Institute.

Did you know you can follow the Bean Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube?

Click the icons below to follow on your favorite platform!

Black Bean & Mixed Rice Casserole

This filling, tasty beans + rice recipe also includes ingredients like chicken, corn, and mushrooms. The melted cheese on top makes it even more comforting and delicious!

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Mexican Skillet Rice

Pinto beans star in this bean and rice skillet. The recipe works well with either ground beef or turkey. For a vegetarian option, try adding an extra can of beans instead of meat.



➡️ Find the recipe here.

New Orleans Beans & Rice

This simple recipe only requires a few ingredients and can be made in either the oven or the slow cooker.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

In their March 2026 newsletter, the Bean Institute highlighted how beans can be the hero of simple weeknight dinners. They share four tips to turn beans into a satisfying and tasty meal, such as a "bowl formula" and a bean-y "pasta upgrade".

Like the Bean Institute says, "dinner doesn’t always need a recipe. Sometimes it just needs a reliable starting point. Beans make that possible. Because they’re already cooked and ready to use, a single can can become the foundation for a satisfying meal in about 20 minutes using ingredients already in the kitchen."

➡️ Read the full post - Beans Make Dinner Easy - here.

April 22, 2026 is Earth Day. In honor of Earth Day, we are highlighting some of the many benefits of beans for the environment. The benefits do not stop at wins for our planet though, because beans are significant for human health as well.

In a recent article - titled Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations - Lisciani and colleagues delve into what makes dry beans such a powerful food and crop.

Screenshot of part of the graphical abstract

Benefits of Beans for the Planet

Beans are an environmentally-friendly crop. Some of the many benefits of beans include:

• Boost crop productivity. Thanks to their ability to fix nitrogen - through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia - and to help build organic matter in the soil, including beans in crop rotation can help increase the productivity of subsequent crops. The authors share that, "Grains grown in rotation after pulses yield on average 1.5 tons more per hectare than those grown without pulses, equivalent to the effect of 100 kilograms of nitrogen fertilizer."
• Help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The production and application of synthetic fertilizers contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. By integrating beans into the cropping system - and therefore enabling nitrogen fixation and boosting the organic carbon status of the soil - fertilizer uses can be minimized. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and input costs for farmers.
• Minimize disease and pest pressure. Including beans in a crop rotation with grains or other non-legume crops can help break pest and disease cycles.
• Promote biodiversity. Including beans in crop rotation with other crops is important for crop diversity. In addition to the environmental benefits of biodiversity, crop diversification can help enhance farm resilience and stabilize farm income.

Benefits of Beans for Human Health

Beans are a nutrient-dense food, providing an array of important macronutrients, micronutrients, and phytonutrients. For example, beans are high in both protein and dietary fiber. Beans are very low in fat, and they contain a mix of healthy, complex carbohydrates. Some of these carbohydrates are non-digestible, meaning they pass through our digestive system until they reach the colon. There, they serve as prebiotics, feeding the beneficial bacteria that reside in our gut.

Thanks to their nutritional composition (e.g., high protein, high fiber, and slowly digesting carbohydrates), beans promote satiety, thereby supporting healthy weight management. Bean intake is also associated with numerous positive health effects, as shown in the figure below. These health benefits include promoting heart health and helping protect against cancer.

Figure 1 lists positive effects of legumes for human health and the environment

Reference

• Lisciani, S., Marconi, S., Le Donne, C., Camilli, E., Aguzzi, A., Gabrielli, P., ... & Ferrari, M. (2024). Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1385232.

People's Choice Bean Competition

The Northarvest Bean Growers Association wants to invite you to join us for our 2^nd annual People’s Choice Bean Competition with Scheels ND BBQ!

NBGA is the proud sponsor of the Best Bean Competition, which takes place:

• Date & Time: Friday, May 1, 5 - 7 pm
• Location: Scheel’s Home & Hardware in Fargo (3202 13th Ave S., Fargo, ND 58103)

Come vote for your favorite bean dish, submitted by world class BBQ competitors!

Sampling delicious beans at last year's BBQ

Image from ND BBQ Championship Facebook post

Northarvest on North Dakota Today

Noreen Thomas, a Chef and Organic Producer at Doubting Thomas Farms, joined North Dakota Today to showcase a bean salad recipe. Host Tatum Miller joined her, and they both prepared a delicious, colorful bean salad and ended with a taste test.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of Noreen Thomas:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 large garlic clove, grated
• 1 red pepper, fire roasted
• 2 cans of white beans, drained
• 8 ounces of mozzarella balls
• Basil, fresh

Thank you to Noreen and North Dakota Today for sharing about beans and the Northarvest Bean Growers Association!

Northarvest Sponsors Battle of the Beans Cook-off

In the news segment, Thomas mentions the Battle of the Beans Cook-off happening on April 23rd. NBGA is the proud sponsor of this event.

There are two ways to be part of the bean cook-off:

1. Be a team, just go to Facebook "Who's the Boss" Cook-off;
2. Be part of the public! Register on Eventbrite for free.

The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored, in part, by NBGA. Click on the links below to listen to the most recent episodes.

• ➡️ April 13, 2026: Northarvest Bean Growers Association Executive Director Mitch Coulter says the dry bean market has been under pressure from geopolitical pressures. Domestic markets have also been influenced by changes to government food aid programs.



• ➡️ April 3, 2026: North Dakota Senator John Hoeven and North Dakota Representative Julie Fedorchak participated in the ribbon-cutting for the new Columbia Grain International pulse processing plant in Valley City. They highlight the importance of value-added processing.

• ➡️ March 29, 2026: NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Sam Markell offers ideas and tips for your dry beans as we enter the season.

• ➡️ March 21, 2026: NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch talks about new fungicide research for white mold.

• ➡️ March 14, 2026: NDSU Plant Pathologist Sam Markell said timing is very important for the spread of rust. Soil sampling is recommended.

Below are excerpts from a recent USDA press release. You can read the full press release by clicking here or on the button at the end of the excerpt.

Fargo, N.D., March 26, 2026 – Agricultural operations in North Dakota have been significantly impacted by recent winter storms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from these adverse weather events. 

“USDA has a suite of programs to support farmers and ranchers as they recover from disasters,” said Farm Production and Conservation Under Secretary Richard Fordyce. “I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.”  

“Once you are able to evaluate the impact on your operation, be sure to contact your local FSA county office to timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses,” said Brad Thykeson, State Executive Director for FSA in North Dakota. “To expedite FSA disaster assistance, you may need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.”  

FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs.

Below are excerpts from a March 31 news release from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), announcing that USDA has reopened the acreage reporting period for specialty crop farmers impacted by unfair market disruptions.

Specialty Crops Acreage Reporting Deadline for 2025 is Now April 24

Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026 – The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the agency is reopening the 2025 crop acreage reporting period required for specialty crop producers who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins on Feb. 13, the ASCF program is designed to help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA. 

“After full consideration of requests from specialty crop producers, industry leaders and members of Congress, Secretary Rollins made a responsive, Farmers First decision to reopen the acreage reporting period for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “We’re committed to doing what it takes to keep specialty crop producers economically viable and gathering accurate acreage reporting data is critical to making sound FSA program policy decisions. Reopening the reporting period ensures that every eligible producer has a fair opportunity to participate and that we deliver assistance where it’s needed most.” 

April 15th Webinar on New Dicamba Rules and Pesticide Labeling

NDSU wishes to extend an invitation to producers who may be interested in learning about the new dicamba regulations and the future of pesticide labeling. On Wednesday, April 15 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time, Dr. Ikley and Dr. Smith of NDSU will be presenting this webinar.

2026 Basic Training – Crop Production

• Topic: New Dicamba Rules and the Future of Pesticide Labeling
• Speakers: Dr. Joseph Ikley and Dr. Madeleine Smith
• Date & Time: Wednesday, April 15 at 10:00 - 11 am CT
• Join Zoom Meeting: https://ndsu.zoom.us/j/93239909951

New Pulse Processing Plant in Valley City, ND

Valley City, North Dakota just saw the grand opening of a new pulse processing plant by Columbia Grain International. Senator John Hoeven attended the ribbon cutting.

An April 1, 2026 KX News article about the grand opening shared:

The Columbia Grain Pulse Processing Plant in Valley City, which has the capacity to process 40,000 tons of pulse crops, was opened today to strengthen the state as a leader in agriculture.

“This pulse processing plant is an exciting opportunity for North Dakota farmers, giving them a convenient, local market for the high-quality crops they produce,” Sen. Hoeven said. “By expanding domestic demand for U.S.-produced ag commodities, we can make the farm economy more resilient against challenging international market conditions, like our farmers are facing right now.”

Image from KX News article

The 2026 Bean There, Cooked That: Unpacking the Nutritional Power of Dry Beans webinar will take place on June 2, from 9 - 11 am, CT. The NBGA is a proud sponsor of this webinar.

Five 20-minute presentations from different speakers will cover an array of topics, ranging from tips to cook with beans, the latest advances in popping beans, information on protein characterization in dry beans, trends and innovation, how agronomy shapes nutritional quality, product development, and more.

North Dakota State University announced its 16th president in a recent press release. Below you can see an excerpt from the press release, followed by a link to read the full article. Northarvest Bean Growers Association would like to welcome President Stewart to his new role, and we continue to look forward to our frequent collaborations with NDSU.

North Dakota State University has named Marshall Stewart as its 16th president, following selection by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education. Stewart will assume the role the last week of May, succeeding Interim President Rick Berg.

Stewart currently serves as executive vice president for external engagement and chief of staff at Kansas State University, where he leads statewide engagement, government relations, economic development partnerships, fundraising strategy and service to constituents across Kansas. His career reflects a consistent focus on student-centered leadership, land-grant mission delivery and building trust-based partnerships across campus and community.

Prior to his current role, Stewart held leadership positions in agriculture education and extension, including roles focused on academic administration, workforce development and public engagement.

New Course by the Northern Crops Institute on Opportunities for Dry Bean Ingredients

This year, the Northern Crops Institute (NCI) is offering an exciting new course. This course - Production Opportunities with Pulse & Dry Bean Ingredients - will take place on August 31 - September 3, 2026.

NCI Program Manager Krista Jansen shares why she is looking forward to the course: “This hands-on course offers a unique opportunity to explore the full value chain of pulse and dry bean ingredients. From milling and functionality to product development and market applications through expert-led sessions and live demonstrations. Participants will leave with practical insights, real-world experience, and new ideas for creating innovative, high-value food products in rapidly growing plant-based markets.”

For more information, click here or on the image below.