Greetings, and welcome to NBGA's July 2025 newsletter!

We are already about one month into the 2025 dry bean growing season. We appreciate your dedication to the dry bean industry, and we wish everyone a great season! We also want to acknowledge that a number of our growers have faced challenges or even loss due to weather. Thank you for your perseverance and commitment to producing food for the world, despite the inherent risks that come with farming.

In this month's newsletter, you will find information about this year's NDSU Dry Bean Field Days, links and summaries for the latest USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Reviews and Dry Bean Scene episodes, and tips for refreshing, tasty bean salads to enjoy this summer. There are also updates about recent NBGA activities - like Northarvest at the National Ag in the Classroom Conference, our President Tony Richards' trip to South Korea for the Seoul Food & Hotel Show to represent growers, and more.

Happy reading!

NDSU Dry Bean Field Days are coming up!

July 2025 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• Bean Poll
• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• NDSU Dry Bean Field Days
• NBGA Partners with a Chef
• Bean Institute: Bean Salads
• Bean Nutrition Corner: Healthy Eating with Beans
• Northarvest in the News and on the Move
• The Dry Bean Scene

Bean Poll

Thank you to everyone who participated in our June 2025 poll. As you can see in the summary chart below, the top response we received was that growers had finished planting, followed by being over halfway done. NBGA sincerely appreciates the hard work of everyone involved in making this planting season successful, and we wish you a productive season!

July 2025 Poll: How many acres of beans did you plant?

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 7, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com July 7, 2025, one USD is equal to 18.67 MXN. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report June 29, 2025, Dry Edible Beans planted in Colorado is 95%, Nebraska is 99%, Michigan is 89%, and Montana is 89%."

• June 23, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com June 23, 2025, one USD is equal to 19.15 MXN. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report June 15, 2025, Dry Edible Beans planted in Idaho is 96%, North Dakota is 96%, Colorado is 70%, Nebraska is 76%, Michigan is 63%, and Montana is 82%."

• June 16, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com June 16, 2025, one USD is equal to 18.92 MXN. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report June 8, 2025, Dry Edible Beans planted in Idaho is 96%, North Dakota is 96%, Colorado is 70%, Nebraska is 76%, Michigan is 63%, and Montana is 82% and Dry Edible Peas planted in North Dakota 97%, and Montana is 96%."

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Agricultural Producers in Minnesota Impacted by Recent Severe Weather

In a press release shared earlier today, USDA offered the following:

"ST. PAUL, Minn., July 08, 2025 – Agricultural operations in Minnesota have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather including tornadoes, derecho winds, hail, lightning, and flooding. 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." 

Read the full press release by clicking below.

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Agricultural Producers in North Dakota Impacted by Recent Severe Weather

FARGO, N.D., June 30, 2025 – "Agricultural operations in North Dakota have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather including tornadoes, derecho winds, hail, lightning, and flooding. 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. Impacted producers should 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."  

Read the full press release by clicking below.

NDSU Dry Bean Field Days 

NDSU Extension, in partnership with NBGA, will host two dry bean field days on August 12 in Forest River, North Dakota, and on August 13 in Hatton, North Dakota. Topics at the dry bean field days will include information about new dry bean varieties, best practices for maximizing yield and effective disease management. NDSU provided an overview of the speakers and key topics in their press release. Details are below.

The field days will offer an opportunity for growers, industry professionals and researchers to come together and explore the latest research in dry bean production.

“It’s been nearly a decade since we last hosted a dry bean field day,” says Juan Osorno, NDSU professor and dry bean breeder. “This is a great opportunity for growers to see firsthand the research and breeding work NDSU is doing to support the dry bean industry.”

The field days will showcase a team of NDSU experts presenting a wide range of dry bean topics:

• Juan Osorno, NDSU dry bean breeder, will walk attendees through new and upcoming dry bean varieties developed in North Dakota, highlighting the breeding pipeline and what growers can expect in the near future.
• Maria Roberta De Oliveira, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences graduate student, will demonstrate how drones are being used to collect high-quality field data more efficiently.
• Ana Carcedo, NDSU Extension broadleaf crops agronomist, will provide agronomic updates tailored to different market classes, focusing on best practices for maximizing yield.
• Michael Wunsch, NDSU research plant pathologist at the Carrington Research Extension Center, will focus on one of the most challenging diseases in dry bean production—white mold. His session on how to make the most of your fungicides will provide practical insights for effective disease management.

“Dry beans are a key crop for North Dakota, and these field days are a chance to connect with growers and share timely, research-based recommendations,” says Carcedo. “We want producers to leave with new ideas and tools they can apply in their own fields.”

The program will conclude with a live Q&A session, offering attendees the chance to engage directly with the speakers. Lunch will be provided.

REGISTRATION

Click on the links below to register. Attendance and registration are free. Registration is greatly appreciated but not required.

➡️ Dry Beans Field Day - Forest River | NDSU Agriculture

➡️ Dry Beans Field Day - Hatton | NDSU Agriculture

NDSU Field Days 

In addition to the two Dry Bean Field Days, NDSU hosts other Field Days as well. NDSU Field Days showcase agricultural research in action, providing an active demonstration of how our region connects research to real-world application. The events cover a wide array of topics and take place at the Research Extension Center (REC) sites across the state and feature speakers, presentations, and tours. They are an opportunity to connect with NDSU researchers and learn about emerging technologies, new management practices, and more.

As the NDSU Field Days website says, "Field days equip producers with practical insights that lead to better decision-making, increased confidence, and improved outcomes on their own operations. By seeing research results in regional conditions, participants can identify cost-saving practices and proven strategies to boost yield, efficiency or herd health."

These events are open to the public, and the NDSU Field Days website emphasizes that attendance is beneficial for many stakeholders: "Farmers, ranchers, agribusiness professionals, policymakers, and community members are invited to attend NDSU REC field days to see firsthand how research translates into practical, real-world improvements. Students and local stakeholders also benefit from the opportunity to connect, collaborate and engage with the latest advancements in agriculture."

➡️ You can find details about all the NDSU Field Days here.

This month, Chef Zobac is back with another recipe - White Bean Soup! It's incredibly tasty, and we're sharing some behind-the-scenes photos below .

The official recipe video will go live on Thursday, July 10th at 7 pm Central on NBGA's YouTube page.



Be sure to keep an eye on the NBGA social channels for more videos.

Speaking of videos, let's take a moment to look back on one - White Bean Hummus, which racked up an impressive amount of views since it dropped on April 10th, 2025.

If you are one of the folks who watched, commented, or shared this or any of our videos...

THANK YOU!

Those interactions make all the difference for growing a channel and getting in front of new eyes. We appreciate every like, follow, share, alert, and subscribe!

Bean salads are always satisfying, but they really shine in summer. There is something so delicious and refreshing about the colorful combination of flavors and textures that comes with the marriage of creamy beans, vegetables with a nice crunch, and tangy dressings.

Check out these ideas for bean salads - recipes and photos courtesy of the Bean Institute's website.

Fiesta Salad

Pinto beans pair perfectly with taco seasoning, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, and green onions in this flavor-packed, colorful bean salad. Allow this dish time to chill if possible, so the flavors can meld and the pinto beans soak up all that deliciousness.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Simple White Bean Salad

This white bean salad comes together quickly, making it a nice recipe when you want a healthy meal or side on the table fast, or to bring to a BBQ or picnic. It works well with any white bean, like navy, great northern, and cannellini.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Crispy Kidney Bean "Fakin' Bits"

Even though this is not technically a salad recipe, these kidney bean "fakin' bits" make an excellent salad topper! They add a burst of flavor and a nice crunch to your salad, not to mention a boost of fiber and plant protein.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

In their June 2025 newsletter, the Bean Institute shared how beans are built for summer adventures: "Whether you’re planning a weekend camping trip or a challenging multi-day trek, beans make it easy to enjoy nutritious, satisfying meals wherever summer takes you. They’re the ultimate outdoor companion — reliable, versatile and always ready to fuel your next adventure." Their post dives into why beans are a perfect choice to bring along on adventures, recipe ideas, packing tips, and more.

➡️ Read their full post - Beans in the Great Outdoors - here.

Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson, Professor and Food & Nutrition Specialist at North Dakota State University (NDSU), recently presented a webinar, On the Pulse of Healthy Eating. Technical Manager of the Northern Crops Institute Dr. Fatemeh Zare introduced the webinar, which is part of the series, Pulse Potential Webinars. Garden-Robinson began by saying that one of her goals for the webinar was to inspire people to eat more pulse foods (e.g., beans, chickpeas, dry peas, lentils). She then proceeded to share why it is so beneficial to regularly include pulses in our diets.

Beans Are Nutritious and Counted as a Vegetable and a Protein

As an opening, Garden-Robinson asked people to think about how many vegetables they ate yesterday. Then, she posed a question: What percentage of adults and children meet the recommendations for vegetables? The shocking answer, based on CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) data, is that only 10% of adults and 2% of children are meeting the recommendation set forth by the dietary guidelines. The good news is that beans and other pulses are one way to help meet the recommendation! They can be counted as a vegetable and a protein food (although not both at the same time), so eating more pulses can help adults and children alike address this gap and reach their goal.

The webinar included information on some of the many nutritional benefits of beans, as are regularly discussed in this e-newsletter. For example, beans are high in dietary fiber, protein, vitamins (such as the B vitamin folate), and minerals (like potassium). Moreover, they are very low in total fat, with no saturated fat or cholesterol. Their impressive nutritional profile - which you can see below - is part of why pulses can play such an important role in feeding the world, promoting food security and human health. Plus, they are grown right here in the Midwest!

Nutrition and Health Benefits

A half-cup of cooked pulses contains about 7 - 8 grams of protein, and a similar amount of dietary fiber. Beans contain different types of fiber, such as insoluble fiber (known for helping prevent constipation), and soluble fiber, which can help lower blood cholesterol levels. The fact that pulses are rich in protein and dietary fiber, very low in fat, and moderate in calories can help support healthy weight management.

The topic of gut health is becoming more prevalent as we all realize the importance of keeping our gut microbes happy. Beans contain galactooligosaccharides, and these compounds can act as prebiotics to feed healthy gut bacteria. Research demonstrates that gut health is tied to numerous health benefits. In fact, Garden-Robinson shared that research is even linking healthy bacteria in the gut to promoting mental health.

These same compounds (i.e., galactooligosaccharides) may contribute to gas. However, this should not be a deterrent! As our bodies get used to the higher fiber content of beans - and having fuel for our good gut microbes - any increase in gas usually goes away. Plus, there are several ways to help alleviate potential flatulence, such as increasing bean intake slowly and drinking more water as you increase fiber in your diet.

Another benefit of pulses relates to the wide range of colors you see in the different types. These colors are associated with antioxidant effects, and the phytochemicals and antioxidants in pulses may help reduce the risk of certain cancer types. In addition, pulses have a low glycemic index and eating pulses can help with blood glucose management. Moreover, pulses are naturally gluten-free, so those with celiac disease can eat them. But as you can see from all the nutritional and health benefits, enjoying more beans and other pulses is a great decision for just about anyone!

More Information + Resources

➡️ Link to the full webinar, On the Pulse of Healthy Eating with Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson.

➡️ Check out this video about how to soak dry beans before cooking, which is part of NDSU’s Pulses Playlist on YouTube.

In addition to nutrition and health information, Garden-Robinson shared bean puns

National Ag in the Classroom Conference

The 2025 National Ag in the Classroom Conference took place in Minneapolis the week of June 23rd. Hundreds gathered for this professional event for K-12 teachers, volunteers, and professionals in agricultural literacy. NBGA Finance Director Jennifer Hansen represented Northarvest at the conference.

One of the highlights was the Bean Jeopardy Game. Attendees thoroughly enjoyed this interactive way to learn about beans, and Jennifer Hansen said that the jeopardy winners represented 22 different states! She shared, “We were the hit of the show! Jon Hansen, our Education Outreach Associate, had a blast hosting the very popular Bean Jeopardy Game. The game is an entertaining and interactive way to teach people about beans. More than one educator asked for the questions to bring back to their classrooms."

Jon Hansen sharing bean information with National Ag in the Classroom Conference attendees

Attendees greatly enjoyed Bean Jeopardy

Jon Hansen keeping score for Bean Jeopardy

The NBGA booth had lots of different educational resources, as well as some light-hearted and fun merch to help keep beans front of mind - and on our plates!

This Facebook by North Dakota Ag in the Classroom shares about how conference attendees were interested in beans and loved NBGA's booth!

Curious what bean you are? Take the Bean Personality Quiz here.

The US Dry Bean Council's booth at the Seoul Food & Hotel Show

L to R: Chelsea Didinger, Sam Peck, Tony Richards

Attendees loved the stickers! They also enjoyed trying several different bean snacks, including black bean crisps, red bean crackers, and black bean tortilla chips.

Richards provided a grower's perspective, and attendees appreciated being able to actually meet a farmer who grows beans in the United States. When asked about his experience at the Seoul Food & Hotel Show, Richards shared that, "It was interesting to see all the different countries at the Show - to better understand what their strengths are, and what they are trying to market around the world and sell into Korea. As a whole, it provided a glimpse into how the world export market works."

This was the first time Richards traveled to South Korea, which uses beans very differently from how we do in the United States. He had the opportunity to visit grocery stores, department stores, a traditional outdoor market, bakeries, and more. He enjoyed learning more about the South Korean diet and food culture. Richards was impressed about "how crucial beans are to their diet and the innovative ways they use beans, like pastries, desserts, and in everyday meals."

Thank you to NBGA President Richards for attending this show to represent growers, and for sharing your impressions!

Patbingsu is a very popular Korean dessert, especially in summertime. This milky shaved ice is topped with lots of sweet red beans and various other toppings - in this case, jujubes, chestnuts, walnuts, and rice cakes coated in roasted soybean flour.

Meeting in Fargo

In mid-June, NBGA, the Midwest Dry Bean Coalition, and USA Pulses gathered for a business meeting to discuss their collaborations, such as the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses (CAP). The goal of CAP is to increase the consumption of beans, chickpeas, dry peas, and lentils, which the research demonstrates can improve nutrition and public health. The groups also have a strategic partnership in their relationships with USDA as an alliance for projects like the Pulse Crop Health Initiative and the Sclerotinia Initiative. Thank you to everyone for their time participating in this visit and the productive conversations!

Back row, L to R: Tim Gustavson, Tony Richards, Eric Samuelson, Ian Clark, Cordell Huebsch, Karl Jodock, Pat King, Mitch Coulter, Scott Schroeder

Front row, L to R: John Berthold, Jeff Kosek, David Scholand, Robert Loggins, Paul Kanning, Eric Bartsch, Dan Fuglesten

Same order as above photo, but with Tim McGreevy in Mitch Coulter's place - they took turns taking photos!

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

• ➡️ July 4, 2025: This episode reviews the weekly USDA crop progress report and June acreage report. In addition, NDSU Crops Economist Frayne Olson discusses the differences between dry edible bean acreage in Minnesota and North Dakota.

• ➡️ June 26, 2025: North Dakota FSA State Director Brad Thykeson talks about the importance of local farmer involvement in FSA County Committees. Thykeson explains how these committees influence USDA program delivery and shares how producers can get involved during the current nomination period, as well as some of the benefits.

• ➡️ June 20, 2025: NDSU Climatologist Daryl Ritchison provides his perspective on the summer forecast. NBGA past President Eric Samuelson shares an update on his dry bean crop in Crookston, MN.

• ➡️ June 16, 2025: Independent crop consultant Darrol Ike of Delano, MN discusses this year's dry bean crop, stand issues some growers are seeing, and best management practices.