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

This past month, we had buyers from around the world come to North Dakota and Minnesota to witness bean harvest and processing. Our visitors had the chance to connect directly with farmers and sellers, see the excellent quality of our beans firsthand, attend research updates about a variety of important topics, go to grocery stores to observe bean products and trends in the United States, and more. You can read more about the Worldwide Reverse Trade Mission in the NBGA in the News & on the Move section of the newsletter.

NBGA also wants to thank everyone for the long hours they have put in to harvest this year's dry bean crop! Thanks to your hard work and commitment to quality, plates around the world will have a delicious and nutritious taste of beans from right here in the Northarvest region. We are looking forward to sharing about this dedication in our upcoming video series Seed to Stovetop, which showcases important steps in a dry bean's journey to our plates.

NBGA wishes everyone a happy fall - don't forget to celebrate bean harvest and maybe even consider fighting off the the cooler weather by enjoying a nice bean chili!

Rudy Dotzenrod, Vice Chair of the ND Dry Bean Council & NBGA grower, (front) leads an ND Trade office international visitors group on a tour through his farm in September of 2024.

October 2024 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• Bean Poll
• AgWeek Dry Bean Tour
• Share Your Bean Day Memories
• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• Seed to Stovetop Series
• Northarvest BeanGrower Fall 2024 Issue
• NBGA Partners with a Chef
• Bean Institute: Chili Season
• Bean Nutrition Corner: Do You Need to Soak Dry Beans Before Cooking?
• Northarvest in the News and on the Move
• The Dry Bean Scene

Bean Poll

In the September 2024 newsletter poll, we asked you about how your dry bean harvest was going. Thank you to everyone who participated in our poll!

The newsletter was sent out on September 11th. Based on responses received at that time, the most common answer was that growers had begun dry bean harvest but not yet finished. Below is the full breakdown of responses.

NBGA hopes that everyone is enjoying a successful harvest season!

For our October 2024 poll, please click below to indicate your answer. As always, we will reveal the response breakdown in next month's newsletter.

October 2024 poll: Where do you get most of your Northarvest and other dry bean news?

The next stop on the tour was Northwest Minnesota, for kidney bean harvest. Paul Johanning shares about the challenges posed by wet, cold weather this season. He anticipates an average crop. The video also shows clips from the Worldwide Reverse Trade Mission with the U.S. Dry Bean Council. Denis Xausa, a buyer visiting from Italy, shares his perspective about the mission.

Click here or on the image below to watch this episode of the Dry Bean Tour.

In the next episode of the Dry Bean Tour, we hear updates from Southeast North Dakota and Southwest/West Central Minnesota.

Rudy Dotzenrod, Vice Chair of the ND Dry Bean Council, grows black beans and shares how the season went for him. Overall, he has seen an average crop, and weeds have been a challenge this year.

Dan Ohden, Secretary of the MN Dry Bean Research & Promotion Council, provides an update on his black bean crop this year, explaining that he has seen more variability this year than normal.

Click here or on either of the images below to watch this episode of the Dry Bean Tour.

Share Your Bean Day Memories

It may only be early October, but Bean Day will be here before you know it! Bean Day is the largest U.S. gathering of dry edible bean growers, and it is the perfect spot to hear research and market updates, connect with dealers, buyers, and fellow growers, talk to exhibitors, and enjoy a great lunch that always features beans. Be sure to mark your calendars for the social on January 16 and the main Bean Day 2025 schedule on January 17, at the Holiday Inn in Fargo.

Please Help Us Commemorate Northarvest & Its Growers

NBGA would like to share your memories and photos of previous Bean Days. For example: Why do you go to Bean Day? What stands out to you from past Bean Days? What has made Bean Day an event to put on your calendar?

Please send all memories and photos to info@northarvestbean.org

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.

• October 1, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report September 30, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 66% harvested in Minnesota, 25% harvested in Colorado, 84% harvested in Michigan, 56% harvested in Nebraska, 67% harvested in North Dakota, 71% harvested in Idaho, 93% harvested in Washington, and 56% harvested in Wyoming."

• September 24, 2024: "Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report September 22, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 96% harvested in Montana, 44% harvested in Minnesota, 14% harvested in Colorado, 59% harvested in Michigan, 46% harvested in Nebraska, 34% harvested in North Dakota, 61% harvested in Idaho, 83% harvested in Washington, and 44% harvested in Wyoming."

• September 17, 2024: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the Crop Progress Report September 15, 2024, Dry Edible Beans are 86% harvested in Montana, 17% harvested in Minnesota, 8% harvested in Colorado, 17% harvested in Michigan, 31% harvested in Nebraska, 27% harvested in North Dakota, 44% harvested in Idaho, 60% harvested in Washington, and 27% harvested in Wyoming."

Seed to Stovetop Series

Jed, putting this in as a placeholder. There is also a placeholder in the NBGA News section, so you can choose just one spot or both, depending on what you want to highlight. :)

Let's try this again - THIS Thursday, October 10th will be a youtube premiere of the Seed to stovetop series precursor with alegumeaday.com's Chelsea Dinger. (Turns out resolving copyright issues on the 'tube due to licensed background music can take longer than expected but it is resolved!) Keep an eye on our social channels for an announcement of that video going live.

The latest issue of the Northarvest BeanGrower is now live on the NBGA website. The Fall 2024 issue delves into a wide array of topics, such as:



• How straight combining is gaining popularity and may help encourage more farmers to grow dry beans
• Member highlights, including spotlights on newly elected board members and Kevin Regan's reflections on serving for nearly a decade
• Norm Krause's insights from seeing the dry bean industry in Argentina
• And much more



➡️ Find the Northarvest BeanGrower Fall 2024 issue PDF on our website here.

In last month's newsletter, we asked you to vote for your favorite recipe thus far. Based on a limited number of responses, Refried Beans and White Bean Blondies were tied for number one.

Click below to see the full recipe playlist on our YouTube channel. This playlist features all six of Chef Lauren Zobac's recipes to date. NBGA looks forward to continuing this partnership with Chef Zobac.

More recipes are scheduled to begin filming later this month to bring you even more bean tastiness in the near future!

With fall officially here and winter not far behind, it is chili season! Here are three bean chili recipes from the Bean Institute that will help keep you warm despite the colder temperatures.

Image from the Bean Institute

Image from the Bean Institute website

Image from the Bean Institute website

More from the Bean Institute

Did you see the Bean Institute's September 2024 newsletter? The featured topic addressed how beans can boost performance, enhancing energy levels and muscle recovery. The post's author shares about the benefits offered by important nutrients in beans, in addition to tips about how to include beans to get the most out of this superfood.

You can see a snippet below, or click here to read the full post.

A recent article on National Geographic Science dove into the science behind a hot topic in bean world: Should you soak dry beans before cooking them? Author Stacey Colino provides insights from numerous research studies, as well as quotes from several experts, including Julie Garden-Robinson (professor and food and nutrition specialist at North Dakota State University in Fargo) and Chelsea Didinger (A Legume a Day).

The author states that soaking may feel like a hassle to some people, and this "perceived hassle factor might be part of the reason why most people are falling short" of eating the amount of beans recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Accordingly, she asked experts to chime in about whether soaking dry beans before cooking them is really necessary.

Screenshot from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/should-you-soak-beans



Key Takeaways:

• Soaking dry beans before cooking can positively impact cooking time and the final texture. Soaking beans has been proven to reduce cooking time. Also, soaking can help bring out the best texture in the beans.
• Hard water may prevent softening. If using hard water, the high mineral content in the water can actually greatly slow or even prevent softening of the beans. In this instance, one solution that may help is adding a bit of baking soda to the water.
• Soaking beans can help make them easier to digest. During the soaking process, some of the compounds that can cause flatulence leach out into the water. By discarding that water and cooking the beans in fresh water, you are ingesting less of those compounds.
• Soaking beans has potential nutritional benefits. Some compounds that can reduce absorption of nutrients we need (like iron and zinc) also leach into the soaking water. Discarding the soaking water and cooking in fresh water helps reduce the amount of those compounds. Less of the compounds that negatively impact the absorption of nutrients means our bodies can better absorb those nutrients.
• We should eat more beans, which offer many nutritional and human health benefits. As expert Joan Salge Blake (registered dietitian and nutrition professor at Boston University) is quoted as saying, "We need to get more beans in our diet. They’re a wonderful plant-forward, protein-rich food with lots of fiber and potassium—and they’re inexpensive."
• Even though soaking can provide some benefits, it is okay to not soak. The ultimate goal is to eat more beans, and preparation concerns should not stand in the way. In other words, if an individual is likely to eat more beans if they do not have to soak them before cooking, choosing not to soak is fine.

The author also states that canned beans - "which are just as nutritious as dry beans" - are a convenient option.

➡️ Read the full article - Should you soak beans before cooking them? Here's what science says - on National Geographic here.

Additional Resources:

• All About Beans by Julie Garden-Robinson
• A recent article in AgWeek by Julie Garden-Robinson, ending in a recipe for Sizzlin' Baked Beans

You can find the All About Beans resource on the NDSU Extension website, here.

Moral of the story? Soaking dry beans results in several benefits, such as faster cooking times, improvements in texture, and helping make the beans easier to digest. At the end of the day though - whether you soak beans before you cook them, cook beans without soaking first, or enjoy canned beans - the important thing is adding more beans to our diets!

Jon Hansen, Education Spokesperson for NBGA, represented Northarvest as a judge at the BBQ competition.

Although beans were not on the menu at the BBQ this year, we hope to make sure that beans are an important part of future events. Not only do they make great side dishes, but they also shine all on their own. See the graphic below.

Graphic created by Jennifer Hansen.

NBGA Grower Hosts ND Trade Office International Visitors Group

Rudy Dotzenrod of Wyndmere, ND took time out from harvest to host approximately a hundred visitors from 7 countries who were interested in dry beans and American agriculture here in North Dakota.

While many languages were spoken, translators were on hand to help easy linguistic barriers.

One particularly cool moment was Dotzenrod's response to a question about the history of the farm; he held up a finger and walked away...

...quickly returning with a family photo album featuring photos of the Dotzenrod farm.

Rudy shared those photos & memories with his international guests, walking them through notable milestones via the photo album.

The day was filmed and a video will be released in the coming weeks.

Thank you to the Dotzenrod family for opening their farm to host so many eager visitors and answer so many questions.

Special shout out to the ND Trade office for allowing NBGA to tag along and capture the day, as well as for asking NBGA grower to host.

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

• ➡️ September 27, 2024: Several growers provide an update about dry bean harvest. Thank you to Paul O’Toole in Crystal, North Dakota, James Aarsvold near Blanchard, North Dakota, and John Mages in Belgrade, Minnesota for sharing insights into harvest in your regions.

• ➡️ September 20, 2024: NBGA Vice President and USDBC Delegate Joe Mauch and Professional Agronomy Services Crop Consultant Brad Guck both share updates about how dry bean harvest is progressing in their regions of North Dakota and Minnesota.

• ➡️ September 13, 2024: Progressive Ag Marketing Market Analyst Ray Grabanski reviews the market situation, explaining how dry bean prices are faring compared to other crops, and how dry bean growers are setting themselves up for success. Grabanski was part of a market outlook forum at the Big Iron Farm Show in mid-September. 

• ➡️ September 7, 2024: Kelley Bean Facility Manager Dean Nelson provides an update about dry bean harvest in the Hatton, North Dakota area. They received their first load on Labor Day, and he is expecting a large crop this year.