Happy New Year and welcome to NBGA's first e-newsletter of 2025!

January is an exciting month for Northarvest - not only is it the start of a new year, but it is the month we host our yearly event, Bean Day. Bean Day offers the opportunity to come together, connect with fellow growers and others in the bean industry, hear important research and industry updates and more. This Jwill be our 50th annual Bean Day, and we hope to see you there!

We want to thank all of you for your continued support of beans in the Northarvest region. We look forward to all 2025 has in store!

NBGA also wishes everyone a belated Happy National Bean Day! Bean Day happens on January 6th every year. As we shared on our LinkedIn page, Northarvest chooses to celebrate this day by recognizing the vital contributions of our bean growers and many industry partners. We are grateful for everyone's dedication and hard work in making our favorite specialty crop the shelf-stable, high-protein, high-fiber, nutrient-dense powerhouse worth celebrating! Your dry bean efforts are appreciated.

January 2025 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• Bean Poll
• NBGA Action Item: Call for Resolutions
• Bean Day
• Thank You, Bean Day 2025 Sponsors
• Bean Day 2025 Exhibitors
• Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Recommends More Beans
• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• NDSU Getting It Right Production Conferences
• Seed to Stovetop Series
• Bean Institute: Starting 2025 Off With Beans
• Bean Nutrition Corner: What Is the Healthiest Bean?
• US Dry Bean Council Updates
• The Dry Bean Scene

Bean Poll

Thank you for participating in our December 2024 poll asking if you will be able to join us at Bean Day. You can see the full breakdown of responses below. We are excited to hear that many of you will be joining, and we look forward to seeing you in a couple days.

For our January 2025 poll, please click below to indicate your answer. As always, we will reveal the response breakdown in next month's newsletter.

January 2025 poll: In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, are you planning to eat more beans in the new year?

Bean Day

Believe it or not, Bean Day is happening this week!

Bean Day 2025 will be our 50th Bean Day, and NBGA is working hard to make this one extra special to celebrate the occasion. Join us for our social on January 16, and the main Bean Day 2025 schedule on January 17, at the Holiday Inn in Fargo.

Below, you can see the exciting schedule we have for our upcoming Bean Day. Keep reading to see Bean Day Sponsors and Exhibitors. Thank you to everyone helping make this event the success that it is!

Reminder: Please register for Bean Day!

Thank you for registering. This helps us know how many to expect for meals so that we can ensure there is plenty of food - and that of course includes beans! - for everyone. If you have not already registered, you can do so by clicking on the link below.

NBGA would like to thank the following businesses for joining us as Sponsors and helping us put on what we hope will be the best Bean Day yet!

Plan on joining us in person Friday, January 17th at the Holiday Inn of Fargo - or tune in to the livestream of the event!

Gold Sponsor

Heads Up is a biological seed treatment for growers to get a head start against a variety of fungal and bacterial diseases in row and specialty crops. Used alone or in combination with other fungicide / insecticide seed treatments, Heads Up brings additional, full-season protection to help position your plants to succeed against yield robbing disease pathogens.

“Heads Up Seed Treatment is a great way to SUPERCHARGE your seeds ability to fight seedling diseases and white mold. Available on request, just ask your bean seed supplier!”

NBGA would like to thank Heads Up Plant Protectant for once again supporting NBGA and its mission by sponsoring Bean Day 2025 as a Gold Sponsor.

Visit the Heads Up website to learn more.

Lunch Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Morning Sponsors

Are you wondering who will be exhibiting at Bean Day 2025? Below, you can see a list of all Exhibitors, as well as the Bean Day 2025 Exhibitor Map. Click on the Exhibitor name in the list below to view their website.

Bean Day 2025 Exhibitor List

• Colombo North America
• Bonanza Bean
• Gowan USA
• Heads Up
• BASF
• Landmark Co.
• Cummings Ag
• Northern Bag and Box
• The Andersons DBA Thompsons
• Alloway
• Mayo Mfg.
• McGregor Co.
• Northern Valley Fertilizer
• Satake USA
• DS Welding
• Advanced Grain Handling
• ADM Seedwest
• Columbia Grain
• Healthy Food Ingredients
• Rapat Corporation
• Kelley Bean Co.
• Chippewa Valley Bean
• Pickett Equipment
• Biosafe Systems
• Tenacity Ag
• Acuitus Ag
• Visjon Biologics
• NDSU Research
• AMVT
• Lallemand Plant Care
• Northarvest Bean Growers Association

*** Note: Maps subject to change***

Can't attend Bean Day 2025 in person?

www.northarvestbeanlive.com

on Friday, January 17th @ 9am

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.

• January 7, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com January 7, 2025, one USD is equal to 20.31 MXN."

• December 17, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com December 17, 2024, One USD is equal to 20.22 MXN."

• December 10, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com December 10, 2024, One USD is equal to 20.17 MXN."

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Recommends More Beans

Graphic from the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses

Seeing a higher recommendation was the mission of the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses (CAP), which Northarvest supported. Below, three thought leaders share their input about the importance of CAP, and what a higher recommended weekly intake of pulses means for the bean/pulse industry.

NDSU Getting It Right

Production Conferences

Getting It Right is an annual crop production conference featuring the latest research-based production information presented by NDSU specialists. This season's webinars are now open for registration.

➡️ Find recordings from previous years and all registration links here.

The Getting It Right Dry Bean Production Webinar will be held on Monday, February 10, 2025 from 8:30 am to 12 pm Central time. The current schedule is as follows:

• Joe Ikley - Weed control update
• Michael Wunsch - Improving the management of white mold in dry bean
• Sam Markell - Dry bean diseases update: rust, SCN, and more
• Janet Knodel - What's bugging you in dry edible bean production
• Frayne Olson - Dry bean market update and contract considerations
• Ana Carcedo - NDSU variety trials recap and how to use them

➡️ Find the link to register for the dry bean webinar here.

Seed to Stovetop Series

Two THREE new videos in the Seed to Stovetop Series are now available on NBGA's YouTube channel!

Just released today, @Thatmidwesternmom rejoins NBGA grower Eric Samuelson in the field to learn about pre-harvest spraying. You can watch that video HERE or click the photo below.

Two other recent videos share Amber Estenson's (aka That Midwestern Mom) interview with NDSU Bean Breeder - AND Bean Day 2025 Highlighted speaker - Dr. Juan Osorno. They delve into numerous topics, discussing what a bean breeder does, why a breeder's work is important, the importance of having a variety of bean types, cultural differences regarding beans around the world, whether or not dry beans are GMO, and much more.

It was an excellent discussion and a deep dive into bean breeding, so it is broken up into Part 1 and Part 2.

NBGA would like to thank Ms. Estenson and Dr. Osorno for their assistance on this Seed to Stovetop project.

Part 1

Part 2

Keep an eye out for the next Seed to Stovetop on the NBGA YouTube channel, with announcements in this newsletter and on NBGA social media!

If you are looking for a delicious, tasty, and versatile food that supports local agriculture to use more of in 2025, beans are the answer!

Sometimes, we may feel like we need to follow recipes to use beans. Although recipes are a great tool and can provide delicious inspiration, it's important to remember that using beans does not always require a recipe. As the Bean Institute says, "Sometimes the best meals are created when simple ingredients are put together without specific amounts or instructions. This allows you to be creative and use what you have on hand. And when you include simply delicious, naturally nutritious beans, you’ll delight your taste buds [and] wallet."

Below are a couple tips from the Bean Institute on how to enjoy beans without needing to follow a recipe. Images below are from the Bean Institute.

Chili & Soup

Add beans to almost any soup or chili you are making to boost nutrition, flavor, and texture. Using the bean broth can help result in an earthy flavor and silky texture.

Sandwiches & Wraps

Mash or puree beans to use as a healthy spread, or add whole beans into sandwich and wrap fillings. In addition to the protein and fiber, using different beans can also make your meal more colorful.

➡️ Read their full post, No Recipe Required Tips & Tricks, here for additional tips.

Last year, we shared about a recent article on National Geographic about whether it is necessary to soak dry beans before cooking them. Alongside that article, National Geographic also published another article titled Black beans. Pinto beans. Cannellini. How do they stack up nutritionally?

A common question we hear is: "What is the healthiest bean?" This article addresses that question, and author Stacey Colino consults with numerous experts, including frequent NBGA collaborators Julie Garden-Robinson (professor and food and nutrition specialist at North Dakota State University in Fargo) and Chelsea Didinger (A Legume a Day).

Screenshot from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/healthiest-beans-legumes

The article outlines the impressive nutrition and overall health benefits of beans. Then, it dives into specific bean types, providing information such as taste, appearance, texture, and history, followed by nutrients, noteworthy health benefits, and tips on how to include more in our diets. Specifically, the article shares about black beans, cranberry beans, kidney beans, navy beans, great northern beans, and pinto beans.

Key Takeaways:

• Beans offer excellent nutrition. Beans are rich in protein, dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, and many essential vitamins and minerals. Beans also offer antioxidants and are naturally very low in fat. All beans are healthy, but there can be slight nutritional nuances, so enjoying a variety of beans may be beneficial.
• Eating beans can help prevent chronic disease. Garden-Robinson states, “Because of their high concentration of health-promoting nutrients, consuming more beans could improve overall health and also decrease the risk of developing certain diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and many types of cancer.” For example, studies have found that regular bean consumption can decrease total and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Beans can boost gut health. Eating beans is associated with gut health, providing a food source for good gut microbes.
• Many people do not eat enough beans. The majority of people in the United States do not meet the recommendation for bean intake. This could be due to lack of familiarity with how versatile beans are. The reality is that beans have a rich global culinary history and can easily be included in a wide array of dishes, including salads, chilis, burritos, tacos, stews, soups, dips, casseroles, rice dishes, smoothies, desserts, and more.

At the end of the day, as the author writes, "Given all these benefits, uses, and flavor profiles, it’s worth experimenting with different beans in your home-cooked meals to see which ones you like."

➡️ Read the full article - Black beans. Pinto beans. Cannellini. How do they stack up nutritionally? - on National Geographic here.

As this graphic from the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses (CAP) demonstrates, beans and other pulses are nutritional powerhouses.

Moral of the story? All beans are nutrient-dense and healthy, packed with dietary fiber, protein, and other important nutrients. Including beans as a regular part of our diets can provide many health benefits.

Bean Conference in Cancun

The US Beans, Peas, Lentils, Chickpeas Mx-Latam Conference is right around the corner! The conference is in Cancun, Mexico from January 23 - 25, 2025 at the Hotel Kempinski Cancun. This conference is an educational and networking event centered on bean/pulse production and trade trends from the United States and beyond.

➡️ Explore the conference website here.

There are numerous panel discussions at the conference. One of the panels covers the US Dry Bean Crop. As shared about by the conference organizers, "This dynamic panel will provide an in-depth analysis of the current US dry bean crop situation, with expert insights from producers, marketers, and industry leaders. From production trends to market opportunities, this discussion will equip you with actionable knowledge to navigate the year ahead."

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

• ➡️ January 11, 2025: Eric Jorgenson, Northarvest Bean Growers Association President, highlights the Bean Day schedule.

• ➡️ January 6, 2025: This episode discusses issues facing rail shipments of dry edible beans. The latest USDA Grain Transportation Report has a special feature on this transportation issue.

• ➡️ December 29, 2024: Minnesota USDA Farm Service Agency Deputy State Executive Director Daniel Mahoney shares additional details about specialty crop assistance (continuing the conversation from the December 21st Dry Bean Scene episode).

• ➡️ December 21, 2024: Minnesota USDA Farm Service Agency Deputy State Executive Director Daniel Mahoney discusses a new $2 billion marketing assistance program for specialty crop producers, to help them expand markets and marketing efforts.

• ➡️ December 13, 2024: Mitch Coulter shares his input on the proposed updates to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend higher bean/pulse intake. Instead of 1.5 cups per week, the recommendation put forth by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee was 2.5 cups per person per week, a ~67% increase.

• ➡️ December 6, 2024: Mitch Coulter, NBGA Executive Director, shares about the upcoming Bean Day - which will be the 50th annual Bean Day! - and what attendees can expect to see and learn.