Hello and welcome to the July 2024 NBGA e-newsletter!

With planting season behind us, the growing season is now in full swing. NBGA greatly appreciates all your time and effort throughout the season to bring such high-quality, delicious beans to tables around the world!

This month's photo comes from District 7 NBGA Director Eric Samuelson who is based out of Crookston, MN. You'll read more about Eric and his time with Northarvest further down in this newsletter.

July 2024 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• Bean Poll
• NDSU Agronomy Tours
• NBGA Member Profile
• Summer Meeting
• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• NBGA Partners with a Chef
• Bean Institute: Beans at BBQs
• Bean Nutrition Corner
• Northarvest in the News and on the Move
• US Dry Bean Council Updates
• The Dry Bean Scene

Bean Poll

In our June 2024 newsletter poll, we asked you how many total acres of beans you are planting this year. We had excellent engagement - the highest response rate we have seen to date in our newsletter! NBGA would like to thank all of you for participating.

Results were relatively evenly spread across response options, although the most common response - by just a few votes - was "Under 500 acres". See below for a breakdown of the responses.

For our July 2024 poll, please click below to indicate how planting went this year. We will reveal the response breakdown in next month's newsletter.

When did you plant beans this year?

Please share your photos and video clips from the 2024 growing season!

This will help us better share the full story of beans grown in the Northarvest region, as seen through the eyes of growers. Northarvest would love to share the images and video clips taken by our growers via social media platforms, as well as right here in this newsletter; photo credit and shout-outs will happily be provided.

Please email photos to jed@northarvestbean.org - and don't forget to tell us who is sending them and where they are farming.

Photo courtesy of Rudy Dotzenrod, Vice Chair of ND Dry Bean Council (District 5)

NDSU Agronomy Tours

The NDSU Research Extension Center (REC) hosts annual field days. You can find the dates, times, and more details on their website, here.

One of the field days is being held on Tuesday, July 16, at NDSU's Carrington Research Extension Center, from 9 am - 3 pm. After a brief welcome, concurrent morning tours begin. Dry beans are a focus of the Agronomy Production Tour. Following morning tours, a free lunch is served at noon. Then, the afternoon tour focuses on agronomics and outlook of specialty crops.

Juan Osorno, NDSU Professor and Bean Breeder, is one of the speakers for the Agronomy Tour. Another topic addressed will be dry bean fungicide application recommendations for 2024, presented by Research Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch.

Click the links below to read more about:

• The 65th Annual Carrington Field Day
• The Agronomy Production Tour

Board members at last year's summer meeting

Why Is the Summer Meeting Important?

Jed Brazier, NBGA Marketing & Communications Director, shares what to expect at the upcoming summer meeting.

What happens at the summer meeting?

At the summer meeting, the group works together to "set the programming for the year and [decide] where the check-off dollars will be spent and focused," Jed explains. All of the programming options are presented to their respective Committees, who then decide which ideas they want to recommend to the full board. Based on Committee recommendations, the board discusses the considerations, then calls for a vote which finalizes those decisions and sets programming for the year.

Are there any trainings at the meeting this year?

Previous Board meetings have included full board training as well as media training, which have been useful for the board & council members. NBGA plans to continue additional training in future meetings.

The summer 2024 Board meeting will include a focus on orientation for new NBGA members: Ryan Ammerman, Bob Dombeck, Dwight Johnson, and Dan Ohden. This orientation includes an overview of the organization & its mission, roles on the board, and member involvement expectations, as well as an overview of the NBGA policy book and handbook.

NBGA wants everyone to feel welcome and strives to ensure members are best equipped to advocate for the important work done by growers in our region, and the bean industry as a whole.

Board and council members participating in a media training with Tara Ekren of Flint Group at the 2023 summer meeting

Current NBGA President Eric Jorgenson taking part in last year's media training

What are you looking forward to about this year's meeting?

In the summer of 2022, NBGA held a 5-year strategic planning session in conjunction with the summer meeting. Jed says it has been "nice to see movement and progress" based on those priorities. He is looking forward to seeing NBGA continue to advance toward its goals and continue to move the needle on issues that are important to growers and the entire bean industry.

What is a benefit of being on the Board and attending this meeting?

Each board & council member plays an integral part in the budgetary decisions made at the meeting. In addition, Jed says growers often note that it is a great opportunity to sit down with fellow growers and share their experiences producing beans, which can vary greatly among the many regions represented. "They like to be able to compare and contrast their experiences, share some knowledge, and be able to ask each other questions."

It is also fun to see what the Committees are most interested in and the priorities they decide upon. All of this culminates in determining the direction NBGA is heading.

Will there be beans on the menu?

It wouldn't be a Northarvest gathering without including some delicious bean dishes.

Where can we find updates about the meeting outcomes?

Jed says to keep an eye on the BeanGrower magazine, where budgetary information is provided. For example, you can see a breakdown of the 2022 - 2023 budget on page 26 of the Winter 2023 BeanGrower. This information will also be made available on NBGA's website.

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.

• July 9, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report July 7, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 98% planted in Colorado. Dry Edible Peas are 2% harvested in Washington. According to NASS Acreage report June 28, 2024, 2024 Dry Edible Bean acres are 1,359,000, 2024 Dry Edible Pea acres are 1,033,000, 2024 Lentil acres are 836,000, and 2024 All Chickpea acres are 502,000."

• July 2, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report July 1, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 96% in Michigan and 91% in Colorado. According to NASS Acreage report June 28, 2024, 2024 Dry Edible Bean acres are 1,359,000, 2024 Dry Edible Pea acres are 1,033,000, 2024 Lentil acres are 836,000, and 2024 All Chickpea acres are 502,000."

• June 25, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report June 24, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 98% planted in Minnesota, 99% in Idaho, 91% in Michigan, 96% in North Dakota, 95% in Wyoming, 82% in Colorado, and 96% in Nebraska."

• June 18, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report June 17, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 94% planted in Minnesota, 93% in Idaho, 75% in Michigan, 95% in Montana, 93% in North Dakota, 79% in Wyoming, 62% in Colorado, and 94% in Nebraska."

This month, NBGA is excited to release the next recipe video in this series with Chef Lauren Zobac: Red Bean Crinkle Cookies!

Recipes like these bean cookies help encourage people to think outside of the box and realize the many ways in which we can use beans. Thanks to the beans, these cookies are a healthier treat. In baking, beans can help replace some of the flour and fat in a recipe. Not to mention, they help boost the protein and fiber content of desserts. These cookies are delicious anytime, but with their beautiful color, they also make for a great festive addition to holidays ranging from July 4th to Christmas!

This fifth video in our recipe series is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, July 11th at 7 pm central time. Recipe ingredients and cooking instructions are ready and waiting in the video description for when it goes live. The video tutorial will be available on our YouTube bean recipe playlist, linked by clicking the photo below. NBGA appreciates the efforts of all involved and we hope you enjoy it!

And remember - if you make this or any of the recipes we share, please send us photos and let us know how you like them!

Summer means peak BBQ season - and what better way to spice up a BBQ than with bean dishes?! Below, you will find a couple tasty recipe ideas to ensure that beans are a star on this summer's BBQ menus.

Hamburgers are a classic BBQ staple, and this Blue Cheese, Crispy Onion Rings, BBQ Kidney Bean Blended Burger is sure to hit the spot. This blended burger is a great way to enjoy beans, all while still having that classic hamburger flavor. By blending red kidney beans into the burger, you are adding dietary fiber and important vitamins and minerals, all while helping lower the saturated fat and cholesterol content of the burgers. As the Culinary Institute of America chef in the video shares, this also results in a delightful, juicy texture. If you do not feel like making the accompanying spicy blue cheese mayonnaise and crispy red onion rings, that is okay! Simply serve this blended burger with your usual hamburger fixings.

Find the recipe here, and enjoy the recipe video below.

Image from The Bean Institute recipe post

More from the Bean Institute

Did you see the Bean Institute's June 2024 newsletter? The featured topic was how beans can support brain health. You can see a snippet below, or click here to read the full post.

In our June 2024 newsletter, we shared a press release announcing a new study that shows that eating beans and chickpeas is linked to better diet quality in American adults. The study results were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Maturitas. This research was funded by the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses (CAP) - supported by USDBC and NBGA - and cannedbeans.org.

Authors Yanni Papanikolaou, Joanne Slavin, Sofia Papanikolaou, and Victor Fulgoni titled the science article: Adding more beans to the US typical dietary pattern can lead to greater intake of shortfall nutrients and a higher diet quality in younger and older adults. In this month's Bean Nutrition Corner, we want to share some of the key takeaways from this important research.

Graphic from the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses

What did the researchers do?

The researchers utilized data from a national nutrition survey, NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), to model the outcomes of adding beans to the diet. The study included data from both younger and older adults and took into consideration the predominant beans eaten in the United States: pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Researchers assessed the impacts of the daily addition of either 1 serving or 2 servings of beans, including both canned beans and non-canned beans. One serving is a half-cup of cooked beans; 2 servings equals 1 cup of cooked beans.

The study goal was to evaluate how this addition of more beans to the typical American dietary pattern could affect:

1. Diet quality, as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)
2. The intake of shortfall nutrients, i.e., nutrients that are under-consumed by much of the population, like dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and choline

What did the researchers find?

The daily addition of beans to the typical American diet had many positive outcomes. One important finding was just how large the increase in dietary fiber intake was with the addition of beans. The analysis revealed that "in all age groups, dietary fiber increased approximately 39% with 1 serving of beans added to the diet and 78% with 2 servings added to the diet... when compared to the US typical dietary pattern consumed by adults... This is particularly critical since fewer than 1 in 10 US adults meet fiber recommendations to maintain optimal digestive health and prevent chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and certain cancers."

Key takeaways from this study:

• Beans can improve diet quality. Modeling of the addition of both 1 and 2 servings of beans to the typical American diet resulted in significant increases in overall diet quality in all adult age groups considered. As measured by the Healthy Eating Index, total diet quality was 15 - 16% higher with one additional daily serving of beans, and 19 - 20% higher with 2 servings of beans, compared to the typical American dietary pattern.
• Beans can increase the intake of key nutrients. The article's abstract states that, "The modeling of beans to the typical American dietary pattern resulted in significant increases in the intake of several shortfall nutrients, including dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, folate, and choline." As you can see, the simple addition of beans increases the intake of multiple shortfall nutrients.

These positive impacts on nutrient intake and diet quality can result in several important health benefits. In the Discussion section of the article, the authors point out many of the positive health outcomes with which bean consumption is associated, including longevity and a decreased risk for chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The authors suggest that dietary guidance should take into consideration the many health benefits associated with higher consumption of beans: "It is becoming increasingly important to merge the evidence and knowledge around beans and health with implementation of beans and other legumes within routine American dietary patterns." They also assert that benefits seen in younger adults continue into older adulthood. This serves as a call to action to engage younger adults now, to establish healthful eating habits that can benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Looking for tasty ideas of how to add more beans to your routine? Check out the NBGA recipe playlist on our YouTube channel!

Moral of the story? Adding beans – non-canned or canned beans – to the typical American dietary pattern can significantly increase diet quality and the intake of several critical nutrients, including dietary fiber, potassium, and magnesium. These improvements in shortfall nutrient intake and diet quality can in turn provide numerous health benefits.

The welcome sign, listing Northarvest as one of the Junior Chef Sponsors

Chef Hosanna, photo courtesy of Family Wellness

The US Dry Bean Council has just hired a new Executive Director, Danny Raulerson. As shared in the announcement from USDBC, "Raulerson brings over 20 years of experience in agricultural policy and leadership to this role, making him a valuable addition to the USDBC team." Advocating for policies that benefit dry bean growers is among USDBC's key efforts.

Previously, "Raulerson served as Executive Director of a national agricultural trade organization where he spearheaded initiatives to improve the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products in the global market."

The USDBC thanks outgoing Executive Director Rebecca Bratter for her years of dedicated service and leadership.

➡️ You can read the full announcement on the US Dry Bean Council website, here.

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

• ➡️ July 8, 2024: Rudy Dotzenrod (District 5, Vice Chair of ND Dry Bean Council) discusses the dry edible bean crop and the impact of the wet conditions. He says that in his region, the dry beans are looking good overall, and what they need is some sunny, warm days.

• ➡️ June 30, 2024: NDSU Plant Pathologist Michael Wunsch warns about the increased risk of white mold with cool, wet conditions. Wunsch will share dry bean fungicide application recommendations for 2024 during the Annual Carrington Field Day Agronomy Production Tour on July 16th.

• ➡️ June 21, 2024: Crop Consultant Curt Burns talks about dry bean acreage and the challenges associated with wet conditions in his region of south central Minnesota. Burns leads CB Agronomics in Stewart, Minnesota.

• ➡️ June 17, 2024: NBGA President Eric Jorgenson provides his perspective on the condition of the dry bean crop. He says that although rain resulted in some planting delays, the rains have also had positive impacts for good emergence and stand counts.