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



With November comes the end of the growing season and the beginning of the holiday season. We hope everyone had a good harvest.

In this month's newsletter, you will find updates about what Northarvest has been up to - both locally and internationally - to share the story of dry beans from our region. There are also ideas of how to include beans on your holiday table, additional information about the quickly approaching International Sugarbeet and Dry Bean Expo, and much more. Happy reading!

The video above was shared by Jeff Kosek and his wife, Tammy. Jeff recently returned from an overseas trip representing the dry bean Industry and fellow growers, more on that further down in this newsletter.

November 2025 Newsletter Table of Contents:

• Bean Poll
• USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
• Announcements
• Bean Institute: Beans on the Holiday Table
• Bean Nutrition Corner: Consumer Listening Analysis on Dry Beans
• Northarvest in the News and on the Move
• The Dry Bean Scene

Bean Poll

Thank you to everyone who participated in our October 2025 poll. The largest percentage of respondents indicated that they completed this year's dry bean harvest at about the same time as usual. For a more detailed breakdown of responses, see the results below.

Please participate in this month's poll by clicking on an option below.

November 2025 Poll: Beans on holiday tables

(If you are looking for bean recipe ideas for the holiday table, be sure to check out this newsletter's Bean Institute section!)

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.

• November 10, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light."

• November 3, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light. According to report contacts, pulse harvest is pretty much done for 2025."

• October 27, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained very light."

Preparing Agricultural Employers for Minnesota Paid Leave

Information about Minnesota Paid Leave was recently shared with Northarvest by the Department of Employment and Economic Development. Details below:

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Minnesota Paid Leave will provide payments and job protections to Minnesotans when they need time off for some of life’s most important moments – like welcoming a child, recovering from a serious illness, or caring for a loved one.

As an employer, you play an important role in helping your employees learn about and access Minnesota Paid Leave. To help you prepare for the new program, Paid Leave is partnering with the Farm Bureau and the Farmers Union (MFU) to host a virtual information session for farmers and agricultural employers. The webinar will provide an overview of the program, answer your questions, and help you get ready to meet your responsibilities under Paid Leave.

Webinar Details:

• Tuesday, November 25, 2025
• 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Central)
• Register below for the event. Once you register, you will receive an email with a link to join the webinar.

More information about the Paid Leave program is available at: paidleave.mn.gov

You can also find further details in the resources for agricultural employees that are linked below. Additional materials, including other webinars and an Employer Toolkit, are available at: https://mn.gov/deed/paidleave/employers/prepare/.

For those who may still be unaware, NBGA's annual "Bean Day"- the nation's largest dry edible bean conference - is now held in conjunction with our friends from the Sugarbeet world, offering the chance for farmers & industry partners to get even more out of a single show. It may have a new name and look a little different, but the show remains free to attend.

NBGA, as well as our Sugarbeet partners, look forward to this new opportunity to build on our 50-year history of previous Bean Day events to now include equipment, expand our industry showcase, continue to present dry bean information, and promote the work of our growers who are helping to feed the world.

The International Sugarbeet & Dry Bean Expo brings together two commodities most often shared in our growers' crop rotations. Read more about the details in the press release below...

International Sugarbeet & Dry Bean Expo

EXHIBITORS PLEASE NOTE: Very limited booth spaces remain.

REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS TODAY to ensure you do not miss this first-ever opportunity to present your company to Dry Bean and Sugarbeet producers.

A big thank you to Bush Brother's & Company for being our Presenting Sponsor! We are thrilled to have the

biggest name in canned beans support the very first 
International Sugarbeet & Dry Bean Expo!

Supporting Sponsors

Thank you for helping us make the best first International Sugarbeet & Dry Bean Expo possible!

Partner Sponsors

We appreciate our partners support & efforts in helping us make the inaugural International Sugarbeet & Dry Bean Expo possible!

Contributing Sponsors

We appreciate your support for helping us make the best first International Sugarbeet & Dry Bean Expo possible!

Ropa North America

Valent

Social Sponsor

Thank you to Spraytec for choosing to be ISDBExpo's social sponsor

Joining us at ISDBExpo?

See the hotel information below to book your rooms now!

CanadInns Destination Centre Grand Forks 
(701) 772-8404 

Address: 1000 S 42nd St, Grand Forks, ND 58201 

Staybridge Suites Grand Forks, an IHG Hotel

(701) 772-9000
Address: 1175 S 42nd St, Grand Forks, ND 58201

Baymont by Wyndham Grand Forks 

(701) 757-2345 

Address: 951 S 42nd St, Grand Forks, ND 58201 

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Grand Forks

(701) 757-3600
Address: 4051 Garden View Dr, Grand Forks, ND 58201

Grand Forks Lodge 

(701) 757-7000

Address: 4040 11th Ave S, Grand Forks, ND 58201

My Place Hotel-Grand Forks  

(701) 757-1717

Address: 1315 S 42nd St, Grand Forks, ND 58201

Additional hotel and community information can be found via

the Grand Forks Conventions and Visitors Bureau 

https://www.visitgrandforks.com/where-to-stay/

The holiday season is here! With Thanksgiving just around the corner, here are a few ideas of bean-centric recipes to feature on your holiday table. Of course, you can also simply enjoy preparing these recipes any time of year, no holiday table required!

All recipes and photos below are courtesy of the Bean Institute.

Mac & Cheese with White Beans

Mac & cheese is a beloved dish on many holiday tables, not to mention a classic all year long! Shake up your mac & cheese routine by adding creamy white beans and baking the dish to get a perfect, crispy, golden brown bread crumb crust.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Garlic & White Bean Bruschetta

Are you looking for a holiday table appetizer? Why not give this recipe developed for Northarvest by The Culinary Institute of America a try? Toasted bread is topped with delicious white bean puree, anchovies, and piquillo pepper.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

Blood Orange & Endive Bean Salad

A refreshing, colorful salad makes an ideal addition to the holiday table. This salad features multiple types of beans, including red kidney beans and a couple types of white beans. Torn croutons add a delightful crunchy texture that pairs beautifully with the juicy orange, crisp endive and fennel, and creamy beans.

➡️ Find the recipe here.

In their October 2025 newsletter, the Bean Institute recognized that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They write, "One of the simplest steps you can take toward prevention? Enjoying more beans." You can see an excerpt below.

In the post, the Bean Institute explains the role that several of the many beneficial nutrients in beans can play in preventing cancer. They also link to a delicious recipe for White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard, Butternut Squash, and Farro.

➡️ Read the full post - Beans & Breast Health: A Smart Choice This October - here.

MBOLD just released the results of a consumer listening analysis - conducted on the Coalition's behalf by General Mills - on dry beans, oats, and chickpeas. A primary goal of the study was to gain a better understanding of consumer perceptions of these key plant protein sources. In this month's Bean Nutrition Corner, we share key takeaways about dry beans from the consumer listening analysis.

Screenshots are from the PDF that summarizes the consumer listening analysis

Northarvest Bean Growers Association is a Plant Protein Partner

What Did the Consumer Listening Analysis Examine?

An "internet scrape" was conducted, pulling information from data sets available online, such as market reports, announcements of new product launches, recipes, consumer reviews, social media, nutritionist posts, and more. Sources from a 2-year period were screened. For dry beans, 11,000 posts were identified and reviewed.

Key Findings on Consumer Perception of Dry Beans

Several recurring themes emerged from the listening study:

• Beans are a comfort food. Beans are viewed as a traditional comfort food, especially in Southern U.S. cuisine. For example, one quote shared in the results was, "Southern love is a steamy pot of white beans and ham with a skillet of cornbread."
• Beans are affordable. There were numerous mentions of the affordable nature of beans, providing a cost-friendly, nutritious, and satisfying staple for families.
• Beans are filling. The study explains that, "From simple weeknight dinners to elaborate family gatherings, beans continue to bridge generations through shared culinary experiences. The consistent theme across consumer conversations is their reliability as both an economical and satisfying meal foundation."
• Beans are nutritious. Consumers recognized the nutritional benefits of beans, often focusing on protein. For example, one quote that was part of the analysis stated, "I like blending white beans into any creamy soup and then I only have to use a little/no cream and there's more protein!"
• Beans can be used in versatile ways. Beans were used in versatile recipes, ranging from soups to salads, savory dips to pasta sauces, and more.
• There is some concern about beans and flatulence. A small number of posts expressed concern about beans, often related to the perception that beans may cause gas. You can find helpful tips on gas reduction on the Bean Institute's website, here. As the post explains, including beans as a regular part of your diet can benefit gut health and help you experience less gas.

Overall, there was overwhelming positive consumer satisfaction with beans! This is encouraging, as beans play a critical role in farming systems in the United States and can provide so many benefits for consumers.

Reference

➡️ Find the full listening analysis on the MBOLD website

Northarvest a Partner in MBOLD Protein Catalyst

Last month was Bridge2Food North America, a conference focused on the alternative protein sector and co-hosted by MBOLD.

JoAnne Berkenkamp, Managing Director of MBOLD, moderated a session titled From Minnesota to the World - MBOLD's Protein Innovation Initiative. In the panel, Berkenkamp formally launched a new initiative, MBOLD Protein Catalyst. She recognized Partners, including Northarvest, emphasizing excitement about efforts to drive market success for dry beans.

MBOLD's session at Bridge2Food North America 2025

Northarvest Bean Growers Association recognized as a Plant Protein Partner

Northarvest at Major International Food & Beverage Show

ANUGA is a leading trade fair for the food and beverage industry that is held once every 2 years in Germany. This year, NBGA Director Jeff Kosek and Echo Hacker and Andy Hacker of Bonanza Bean joined the trade team from USA Pulses and the US Dry Bean Council to attend the show and represent our industry at the booth.

USA Pulses and USDBC shared a corner booth in the USA Pavilion and hosted a joint reception at the show. Around 145,000 visitors from over 190 countries attended this year's ANUGA.

Northarvest wishes to thank Kosek and the Hackers for attending, all other members of the trade team, and the organizers for facilitating our involvement in this important trade show.

The USA Pulses-US Dry Bean Council booth at ANUGA

Hanging sign to draw attention to the booth

NBGA would like to thank Jeff Kosek (Above photo, far right) for his recent trade efforts on behalf of the edible dry bean industry.



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

• ➡️ November 7, 2025: Rock and Roll Agronomy owner Jason Hanson talks about a tough year for dry beans in the Devils Lake region.

• ➡️ October 31, 2025: Big changes are coming for dry bean growers this winter. Northarvest Bean Growers Association Marketing & Communications Director Jed Brazier highlights the International Sugarbeet and Dry Bean Expo, happening this upcoming January 2026.

• ➡️ October 25, 2025: NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Sam Markell says a wide variety of diseases were seen this past year, including bacteria blights.