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

Once again, summer seems to be flying by, full of events and all the activity that comes with the growing season. At this rate, the dry bean harvest season will be here before we know it! Northarvest Bean Growers Association has been busy advocating for beans, with Board Members speaking at the recent USA Pulses Summit on the Grower Panel, NDSU Dry Bean Field Days, plans for bean outreach at the upcoming Minnesota State Fair, and much more. This newsletter also contains links to helpful resources - such as the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC) quarterly communication - and the announcement of the upcoming USDA AMS Section 32 purchase of $50 million of dry beans.

Happy reading!

Mark your calendars for this upcoming field tour.

August 2025 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• Bean Poll
• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• Community Resources + Announcements
• NDSU Dry Bean Field Days + Mandan USDA-ARS Field Tour
• NBGA Partners with a Chef
• Bean Institute: Back to School with Beans
• Bean Nutrition Corner: Antioxidants in Beans
• Northarvest in the News and on the Move
• The Dry Bean Scene

Bean Poll

Thank you to everyone who participated in our July 2025 poll. As you can see in the summary chart below, the response that received the most votes was 500 - 900 acres. Nearly 60% of respondents planted between 500 - 1300 acres of dry edible beans this year. For a more detailed breakdown of responses, see below.

August 2025 Poll: NDSU Dry Bean Field Days

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.

• August 11, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report August 3, 2025, Dry Edible Peas harvested was at 71% in Oregon, 29% in Washington, 3% in North Dakota,17% in Montana, and 20% in Idaho. Lentils harvested in Montana was at 9%."

• August 4, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report July 27, 2025, Dry Edible Peas harvested was at 49% in Oregon, 20% in Washington, 1% in North Dakota, and 12% in Idaho." 

• July 28, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. US Dry Bean Convention was last week with a good turn out according to report contacts. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report July 20, 2025, Dry Edible Peas harvested was at 19% in Oregon, 5% in Washington, and 3% in Idaho."

• July 21, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com July 21, 2025, one USD is equal to 18.66 MXN. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report July 13, 2025, Dry Edible Peas harvested was at 2% in Oregon and Dry Edible Beans planted in Michigan was at 99%."

• July 14, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com July 14, 2025, one USD is equal to 18.73 MXN. According to the NASS Crop Progress Report July 6, 2025, Dry Edible Beans planted in Michigan is 97%. The USA Pulses Summit in Spokane, WA was last week with contact reports of a good turn out."

Agricultural Marketing Service Section 32 Purchases

Excerpts from the August 1, 2025 press release are shown below:

Washington, D.C., Aug. 1, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) intent to purchase up to $230 million in fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables from American farmers and producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. These purchases are being made through Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need. 

Agricultural Marketing Service Section 32 Purchases

On an ongoing basis, AMS purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed agricultural products as authorized by Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935. These “USDA Foods” are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition assistance programs, including food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and are a vital component of the nation’s food safety net.

USDA AMS will purchase $230 million of the following commodities:

• Alaska Pollock: $100M
• Dried Cranberries: $25M
• Dry Beans: $50M (Black $16M | Pinto $13M | Kidney $10M | Navy $3M | Great Northern $6M | Small Red $2M)
• Farm-Raised Catfish: $20M
• Fresh Apples: $35M

Read the full press release by clicking below.

AFREC Quarterly Communication

The April, May, June 2025 Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC) quarterly communication is now available. Jeff Kosek (NBGA Director) is on the AFREC Board of Directors. Thank you to Jeff for being NBGA's representative for AFREC.

The quarterly communications update contains numerous links to helpful resources and a section on "looking ahead" that shares about upcoming events and relevant issues. Information about dry edible bean research by Dr. Dan Kaiser, a Nutrient Management Specialist at the University of Minnesota, is included.

Read the full update by clicking below. Or, find this and previous quarterly updates here.

UMN Extension Nutrient Management Podcast

A recent University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension Nutrient Management Podcast episode dove into nutrient management for irrigated crops in Minnesota, including dry edible beans.

The podcast addresses questions like:

• What should growers know about the latest irrigation research in Minnesota?
• What are some of the benefits and risks of irrigation?
• In what ways can risks be mitigated - through timing, cover crop adoption and / or other general soil health practices?
• And more!

The podcast host asks questions of three Extension Specialists at UMN: Nutrient Management Specialist Daniel Kaiser and Irrigation Specialists Carl Rosen and Vasu Sharma.

Listen to the podcast by clicking below.

New Funding Available to Help Improve Minnesota’s Soil Health

Applications opened August 1 for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Soil Health Financial Assistance Program Grants. Some details are shown below, and you can read the full press release here.

These grants are available to individual producers, producer groups, and local governments to purchase or retrofit soil health equipment. Grants provide up to 50% cost-share, with a minimum award of $500 and a maximum award of $45,000. There is $4.36 million available statewide for this round of funding, which comes from the 2025 Minnesota Legislature and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Examples of eligible new or used equipment include, but are not limited to, no-till drills, air seeders, and strip tillage units. 

Applications are due August 29, 2025. Awards will be announced by January 1, 2026. Find the Request for Proposals and application by clicking on the link below.

Help for Minnesota Farmers to Buy their First Farm Returns

The Down Payment Assistance Grant program is now open for applications. Some details are shown below, and you can read the full press release here.

The Down Payment Assistance Grant offers eligible farmers up to $20,000 to help buy their first farm, up from $15,000 in past years to reflect increasing land prices. The Minnesota Legislature boosted funding for the program to $1.25 million this year, up from $1 million last year.

Eligible applicants must make less than $250,000 per year in gross agricultural sales, and they must match the award with at least $8,000 of other funds (e.g. loan, contract for deed, cash, or other financing) to unlock the full award amount.



The MDA will award grants using a random lottery process, with priority given to eligible applicants who:

• Have earned no more than $100,000 in annual gross farm product sales, or;
• Are producers of industrial hemp, cannabis, or specialty crops.

Applications are open now through September 15, 2025. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will notify applicants of award decisions in late September. Find the application by clicking on the link below.

NDSU Dry Bean Field Days 

NDSU Extension, in partnership with NBGA, is hosting two dry bean field days this year. The first tour took place on Tuesday, August 12th.

Topics at the dry bean field days 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.

“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.

Videos of the presentations will be made available online for those unable to attend shortly.

Below are some photos from the Forest River Field day - Thank you to all who turned out for a great dry bean educational event, and to the NDSU Extension team for all of their effort!

Mandan USDA-ARS Field Tour

On Thursday, August 14, the USDA Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory will host a field tour.

For the tour, a keynote on “The Value of Research” by Jessie Pfaff, Vice President of the Independent Banks of North Dakota will follow. There will be three field stops, discussion, and lunch sponsored by Area IV Research Farm. Buses depart at 9 am from 1701 10th Ave SW, Mandan. The tour will conclude no later than 1 pm.

The tour includes a long-term project with 14 years of intensive soil, moisture, and water data and is now monitoring crop nutrition with rotations that include pea and dry edible beans. The other two stops at our major grazing and cropland experiments will offer opportunities to discuss what we are seeing with the tradeoffs and benefits in cover crops, crop diversity, grazing management, and prescription fire.

This month, Chef Zobac is back with another recipe - Chocolate Hummus!

The official recipe video will go live on Thursday, August 14th at 7 pm Central on NBGA's YouTube page.

Be sure to keep an eye on the NBGA social channels for this and other videos!

Mid-August means that back to school season is around the corner - and what better way to make sure that you are set up for success than by including beans in your back to school routine? Even if you do not have someone in your family or friend group with children going back to school though, we can all add more beans to our weekly routine to close out the summer strong!

Below are a few ideas - recipes and photos courtesy of the Bean Institute's website - on quick, easy, and filling ways to round out your summer on a bean-y note.

3 + 3 Bean Salad

Why stop at a 3 Bean Salad when you can savor a 3 + 3 Bean Salad? This recipe calls for pinto beans, dark red kidney beans, black beans, and a white bean - like a navy or great northern bean - in addition to garbanzo beans and green beans. To help make this recipe quick and easy, it calls for canned beans.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Black Bean Bites

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Black Bean Energy Bites are packed with flavor and only require five ingredients. The satisfying flavor combo of chocolate and peanut butter pairs well with the black beans and a hint of sweetness from honey or maple syrup.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Berry Bean Smoothie

Adding cooked beans to a smoothie is a great way to add protein and fiber, helping keep you full. This recipe calls for great northern beans, although other white beans could also work. The mild, neutral flavor of white beans makes them ideal for a fruity smoothie, allowing you to savor that refreshing berry flavor.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

In their July 2025 newsletter, the Bean Institute highlighted ways to beat the heat with beans: "When the temperature climbs, the last thing anyone wants to do is turn on the oven. But that doesn’t mean skipping beans. Whether you’re reaching for the convenience of canned, or using pre cooked beans from your freezer stash, beans are a summer friendly staple that make it easy to keep your meals cool, simple, and satisfying... They also hold up well in make ahead dishes, making them perfect for picnics, potlucks, and easy backyard dinners." The post provides tips to enjoy flavorful and satisfying bean dishes, also linking to several recipes.

➡️ Read their full post - Beat the Heat with Beans - here.

In this newsletter, we often discuss how beans are high in dietary fiber and nutrients like protein, potassium, folate, magnesium, and iron. Another health benefit of beans is that they contain antioxidants!

In a paper by Bruna Carbas and colleagues - titled Nutrients, Antinutrients, Phenolic Composition, and Antioxidant Activity of Common Bean Cultivars and their Potential for Food Applications - the researchers shared several key takeaways regarding bean nutrition and antioxidant activity. The authors examined several different types of beans, and they highlighted potential implications for the use of a diverse array of beans as functional ingredients in diets and food products.

Screenshot of the article from the Antioxidants journal website

What Did the Researchers Do?



The researchers studied 10 widely globally used bean cultivars, including pinto, red kidney, navy, black, and cranberry. They utilized samples from two different harvest years. The research team evaluated aspects such as protein content, amino acid composition, phenolic compounds (a group of phytochemicals known for their antioxidant and other health-promoting properties), and antioxidant activity.

Key Takeaways

• Protein. The researchers determined that - at least among the types of beans they tested - navy, black, and pink-eyed beans had higher protein and amino acid content. This suggests these beans could be "prime candidates for protein-enhanced food products," including gluten-free products.
• Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity. Beans contain diverse phenolic compounds, and the bean samples demonstrated antioxidant activity. The total content and overall phenolic compound composition varies among bean types. Darker-colored beans - like red kidney beans - seem to be promising choices for phytochemical enrichment of food products. For example, the authors state that "functional flours of colored cultivars are advantageous options for food enrichment at the antioxidant activity level."
• Climate. Climatic conditions can impact nutritional and phytochemical composition. For example, it appeared that antioxidant activity decreased with higher temperatures during the growing year. However, the authors indicated that further research is needed to ascertain ideal growing conditions to maximize nutrition and functional capacities.

Overall, the differences in nutritional profile and phytochemical compounds among different types of beans suggests that eating a variety of beans can be beneficial - so that we can reap the benefits that each type may provide! Moreover, better understanding the unique nutritional and phytochemical profiles of diverse bean types can position food scientists and product developers to use the type(s) of bean(s) best suited to each product.

➡️ You can read the full research article here.

Enjoy red kidney beans - and the antioxidants in them - in simple and tasty recipes, like this Chili Bean Dip on the Bean Institute website.

Late July once again saw the NBGA Board come together with MN Dry Bean Research & Promotion Council and ND Dry Bean Council to hold their quarterly meeting.

The summer meetings focus on finalizing the annual budget, programming, sponsorship opportunities, and more.

NBGA President Tony Richards thanks outgoing members Josh Ihry (ND Dry Bean Council) and Norm Krause (MN Dry Bean Research & Promotion Council) for their long-time service advocating for fellow growers.

Northarvest would like to welcome Kyle Funseth to the ND Dry Bean Council. He'll be representing District 4 and is based in Hatton, ND.

MN Dry Bean Research & Promotion Council adds recently elected Jon Krause (right), who will be filling the Area 2 representative role previously held by his father, Norm Krause (left).

Northarvest at the Minnesota State Fair

This year, the Minnesota State Fair runs from August 21 through September 1 - and beans will be there!

Jennifer Hansen, NBGA Finance Director, shared about Northarvest's upcoming participation in one of the largest State Fairs in the nation: "Northarvest Bean Growers Association is thrilled to be partnering with Renewing the Countryside this year at the Minnesota State Fair. Come see us in the Eco Experience Building as part of this year’s theme: Plant Protein Power! You will find many interactive and educational food and farming exhibits, including our very own Bean Trivia Game. Other partners include Seven Sundays, SunOpta, The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance, and the Plant Based Food Association."

In addition to partnering to promote beans during the entirety of the fair, Jennifer Hansen and Jon Hansen (Educational Outreach Associate) will run a Northarvest booth for the first two days (August 21 & 22) and the last day of the fair (September 1) - to start and end on a strong note for beans! They will also be joined by Chelsea Didinger (A Legume a Day) on September 1. If you will be at the fair on any of these days, please come say hello!

Image from Renewing the Countryside (RTC). According to RTC, their "2025 Eco Experience Exhibit is centered on the power of sustainable plant based proteins and the farmers that grow them."

Dry beans were also used as decoration at the event

Wondering what was on the menu? See below.

• Roasted Garlic and Pinto Bean Hummus
• Black Bean and Bulgur Kibbeh with Spearmint Tzatziki
• Navy Bean Cassoulet with Pork and Calabrian Bread Crumbs
• Chickpea and Red Kidney Bean Sliders with Turkish Pepper Aioli and Crispy Onions
• Brown Lentil and Mushroom Meatballs with Harissa Tomato Sauce
• Charred Vegetable and Green Lentil Salad with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
• Mini Navy Bean Blondies

Stationed dishes at the Bean + Pulse Wine Pairing

Roasted Garlic and Pinto Bean Hummus

Chickpea and Red Kidney Bean Sliders with Turkish Pepper Aioli and Crispy Onions

Navy Bean Blondies

Navy Bean Cassoulet with Pork and Calabrian Bread Crumbs

Black Bean and Bulgur Kibbeh with Spearmint Tzatziki

Minnesota Ag & Rural Leadership Summer Update

The Minnesota Ag & Rural Leadership (MARL) Program held their June seminar in Southwest Minnesota, at the Pipestone Campus. Northarvest Bean Growers Association wishes to thank Eric Samuelson (NBGA Past President & Director) for participating on behalf of NBGA.

The seminar involved site visits, with participants touring Tru-Shrimp, Sturdy Post Ranch, and Hord Farms. Invenergy came to speak to the group about clean energy. Another part of the seminar was participating in an emotional intelligence assessment, with a goal of improving awareness of strengths and areas for improvement. As participant Alexandra Ostlund stated in MARL's post about their June 2025 seminar, "Actionable steps to incorporate the strategies and habits we discussed will enable us as leaders to improve our communication, reset and regulate, make more balanced and thoughtful decisions, navigate interpersonal dynamics, adapt to change with a resilient mindset, and ultimately create healthier relationships with ourselves and others."

One of the evenings, everyone enjoyed a pork chop dinner at Hiawatha Lodge, and the destination for the international study seminar was announced. Next March, MARL Class 13 will travel to Vietnam.

➡️ Read the full MARL post about the June 2025 seminar here.

The seminar involved numerous site visits, such as Sturdy Post Ranch, known for raising sheep. Photos from the MARL post about this seminar.

Several MARL Class 13 participants - including Eric Samuelson (back left) - taking the emotional intelligence assessment

Northarvest invited to participate in Breakfast on the Farm in Perham, MN.

This annual event was held on August 2^nd at the Palubicki Farm. Volunteers served pancakes, eggs, and sausage to the public where they also heard live music, got up close and personal with farm animals, and interacted with about a dozen booths teaching them about agriculture. Jennifer and Jon Hansenhad a prime location next to the breakfast queue where they played Bean Trivia Plinko.

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

• ➡️ August 8, 2025: University of Minnesota Extension Entomologist Bob Koch talks about the soybean gall midge and its impact on dry beans. If growers have issues, they are encouraged to contact Koch. You can find his contact information here.

• ➡️ August 2, 2025: This episode provides an update on this year’s dry edible bean crop. NBGA District 5 representative Joe Mauch, who farms in Hankinson, North Dakota, says the crop is on track in southeastern North Dakota.

• ➡️ July 25, 2025: Johnstown Bean Company President Dylan Karley summarizes the 2025 U.S. Dry Bean Convention that took place in July in Colorado. 

• ➡️ July 18, 2025: Dry bean growers across the region are cautiously optimistic as the crop enters a key growth stage. Crookston, Minnesota area farmer Eric Samuelson reports healthy plants and low insect pressure. Wyndmere, North Dakota area farmer Rudy Dotzenrod says heat and sunshine would help his beans hit their stride. Weed control remains the top challenge, with Dotzenrod making major adjustments to his program this season to stay ahead.

• ➡️ July 11, 2025: USA Pulses CEO Tim McGreevy discusses the first-ever USA Pulses Summit in Spokane, Washington. A rebranding is underway to increase the profile of dry edible beans and other pulse crops.