March 2025
NBGA Newsletter Vol. 4, #3
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Greetings, and welcome to NBGA's March 2025 newsletter!
Over the last month, Northarvest has been busy in our local communities and around the globe. As you will see in this newsletter, many Northarvest members and supporters have been sharing about dry beans to youth via Living Ag in the Classroom, to our neighbors through North Dakota Today, to attendees of Gulfood (the largest food and beverage show in the Middle East), and to stakeholders in countries like the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, and more. You will also find links to Bean Day recordings and a wealth of other updates and resources. Happy reading!
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Northarvest is reaching students across our region via Living Ag in the Classroom. | |
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March 2025 Newsletter Table of Contents:
- Bean Poll
- NBGA Action Item: Call for Resolutions
- Bean Day Videos on NBGA YouTube Channel
- Getting It Right Dry Bean Production Recordings
- USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Review
- NBGA Partners with a Chef
- Bean Institute: Bean Nutrition & Tips
- Bean Nutrition Corner: National Nutrition Month
- Northarvest in the News and on the Move
- US Dry Bean Council Updates
- The Dry Bean Scene
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Thank you to everyone who participated in our February 2025 poll. We appreciate folks helping spread the word about how nutritious beans are, especially as we celebrate National Nutrition Month this March. Below, you can see the breakdown of how respondents indicated they plan to share about beans this month. | |
For our March 2025 poll, please click below to indicate your answer. As always, we will reveal the response breakdown in next month's newsletter. | |
March 2025 poll: Exploring the NBGA YouTube Channel | |
| Which of the following have you most recently watched on our YouTube channel? | | | |
We regularly upload content to the NBGA YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe to watch new videos - or to rewatch old favorites! | |
NBGA ACTION ITEM -
Call for Resolutions
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Bean Day Videos on NBGA YouTube Channel | |
We are thrilled to announce that Bean Day 2025 recordings are now live on our YouTube channel! | |
Among the many sessions you will find are:
- Machinery Pete's keynote
- Research update by Dr. Juan Osorno
- Dr. B. Pam Ismail's (recipient of the Friend of the Bean Award) presentation about the work of the Plant Protein Innovation Center
- Information about Ag in the Classroom programs in North Dakota (by Heather Lang) and Minnesota (by Ann Marie Ward)
- Policy work and updates by Jeff Harrison
- And much more!
➡️ You can watch the full Bean Day 2025 Playlist here.
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Getting It Right Dry Bean Production Recordings | |
Northarvest Bean Growers Association is a proud sponsor of the excellent Getting It Right Dry Bean Production series. NBGA Executive Director Mitch Coulter introduced this year's series and provided a brief update, which you can watch by clicking the video linked below. | | |
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Videos in the Series
In addition to the intro linked above, you will find videos about the following:
- Dry bean diseases, such as rust and SCN
- How to improve white mold management
- A weed control update
- Pests in dry beans
- Dry bean market and contract considerations
- Variety trial research update
➡️ You can find the full Getting It Right Dry Bean Production 2025 Playlist here.
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Below, you can find links to the most recent USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market Reviews. Click on the date to see the report.
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The next USDA Weekly Dry Bean Market report will be released soon. You will be able to find that report here.
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March 11, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com March 11, 2025, one USD is equal to 20.27 MXN."
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March 4, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com March 4, 2025, one USD is equal to 20.71 MXN."
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February 25, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com February 25, 2025, one USD is equal to 20.46 MXN."
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February 18, 2025: "Compared to last week: Trade remained light with mostly steady bid prices. According to XE.com February 18, 2025, one USD is equal to 20.30 MXN. The Annual Bean Market News Review Report can be found at https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lsaba.pdf"
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Annual Bean Market News Review Report
The annual report produced by USDA AMS is now available online. In it, you can find information such as grower monthly average price per hundredweight by crop year and region. There is also data on overall U.S. production of dry beans by class, and USA purchases of beans for use in domestic feeding programs.
➡️ Find the Bean Market News 2024 Summary by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service here.
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NBGA Partners with a Chef | |
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Northarvest is excited to continue our partnership with Chef Lauren Zobac in 2025. If you haven't yet had a chance to watch the recipe videos we created with her last year, we would encourage you to explore the Recipes Playlist on NBGA's YouTube channel.
The first recipe we are releasing in this year's series is for Minestrone Soup. Especially when it is cold outside, it's hard to beat a warming, filling, and delicious bowl of bean soup!
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Chef Zobac's latest recipe video, Minestrone Soup, will go live Thursday, March 13th at 7 pm on NBGA's Youtube page - and be sure to keep an eye on on the NBGA social channels for more videos. | |
Photo from the Bean Institute website | |
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Speaking of nutrition, the incredible nutritional profile of beans is linked to many health benefits, such as promoting heart health. In their February 2025 newsletter, the Bean Institute wrote about how beans can "nourish our hearts — both emotionally and physically."
➡️ Read their full post, Beans for a Heartfelt February, here for more information on why beans are a heart-healthy choice, and tasty recipe recommendations!
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More from the Bean Institute
Are you looking for more helpful and fun bean information and some bean recipe inspiration to kick o? Subscribe to the Bean Institute's newsletter: The Bean Bulletin.
➡️ Sign up by clicking here!
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March is National Nutrition Month®. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics launched the annual campaign of National Nutrition Month® decades ago, as a way to recognize the importance of healthful eating and to invite everyone to make nutritious choices. If you are looking for a perfect food to celebrate National Nutrition Month®, beans are an ideal choice!
This year, the theme is "Food Connects Us." As the Academy explains, "Food is a connecting factor for many of us. Food connects us to our cultures, our families and our friends. Sharing a meal is an opportunity to learn about its preparation, who made it and where the ingredients were sourced. Health, memories, traditions, seasons and access can all impact our relationship with food. While these factors influence the foods we eat, the foods we eat also affect our health."
As demonstrated through our outreach, such as Living Ag in the Classroom, we believe it is important to know where our food is coming from and connect with our communities. Northarvest growers help share this message with the world every day!
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Image from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month | |
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Bean Nutrition
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics published an article about beans in their Protein Foods section, as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans count beans in the Protein Foods group. The post dives into bean nutrition and tips to easily and deliciously enjoy more beans.
The article - Six Creative Ways to Enjoy Beans - details a few of the many nutrients beans are rich in, including:
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Dietary fiber. Beans are one of the best sources of dietary fiber. "A ½-cup serving of cooked beans provides about 20% of the Daily Value." This dietary fiber promotes satiety and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.
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Protein. Beans are known for their high plant protein content. "One ½-cup serving of cooked beans has about the same amount of protein (7 grams) as 1 ounce of cooked chicken, beef, pork or fish." This is why beans are part of the Protein Foods group.
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Potassium & folate. Beans are rich in several vitamins and minerals. Did you know that one serving of white beans has about the same amount of potassium as a banana?
Ways to Eat More Beans
There are countless ways to incorporate beans throughout the week, and the author provides several helpful tips, such as:
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Blend them. Blending beans allows for tasty bean dips. These dips can also be used as spreads for sandwiches and wraps, or even as a sauce for pizza. Refried beans are another example of creamy, blended beans.
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Crisp them. Roasting cooked beans in the oven or air fryer can provide a nice, nutty flavor and a crunchy texture. Not only is the crispy crunch enjoyable, but it can also appeal to someone who may not usually enjoy the texture of beans.
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Bake with beans. Add beans to delicious desserts, like cookies, black bean brownies, and blondies. Chef Lauren Zobac created this excellent recipe for Red Bean Crinkle Cookies.
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Try global flavors. Beans are enjoyed in different cultures around the world, providing quite the repertoire of recipe inspiration. Explore new recipes and bring a taste of other cuisines into your home.
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Pair with pasta. Add whole beans to your pasta dishes, or puree cooked beans to make a creamy pasta sauce.
➡️ Find additional information about bean nutrition on the Bean Institute website, here.
| That Midwestern Mom shares about fudgy black bean brownies on her social platforms, as part of a partnership with Northarvest |
Moral of the story? Beans are a nutritional powerhouse - beneficial all year long, and perfect for celebrating National Nutrition Month®! | |
➡️ Want to learn more about bean nutrition? Be sure to register for this upcoming webinar on May 5th! You can find more information here, and we will share more in our April newsletter. | |
Northarvest on the North Dakota Today
Northarvest Bean Growers Association is continuing our collaboration with North Dakota Today to share about the importance and impact of Northarvest beans in our region and around the globe. Since our last newsletter, NBGA has been featured twice in news segments.
Northarvest wishes to thank everyone participating in interviews and our partners at North Dakota Today for helping us spread the word about beans!
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Northarvest Shares About Living Ag in the Classroom
Jennifer Hansen (NBGA Finance Director) and Jon Hansen (Educational Outreach Associate for NBGA) joined host Sophia Richards to highlight how Northarvest is actively engaging youth through Living Ag in the Classroom.
As Jennifer Hansen shares, Living Ag in the Classroom is a great way to teach fourth graders about the wonderful crops being grown in North Dakota. To hear more about why this outreach is so impactful, as well as test your knowledge with some of the trivia questions they ask students, be sure to watch the news segment!
➡️ Watch the North Dakota Today segment about Living Ag in the Classroom here.
| Sophia Richards and Jon Hansen | |  |
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Osorno Shares about Dry Bean Industry and Bean Research
Juan Osorno, NDSU Bean Breeder, shared about his research and collaboration with Northarvest in his interview with Sophia Richards. Osorno emphasized the critical role that North Dakota plays in the dry bean industry, stating that about 40% of the country's total dry bean production happens in North Dakota.
Osorno expressed his gratitude for Northarvest's continued support of the dry bean breeding program. In addition, he provided a brief overview of some of the topics he covered in his recent Bean Day presentation. Osorno and Richards reminded people that Bean Day recordings are available to watch online.
➡️ Watch the full North Dakota Today segment with Juan Osorno here.
| Sophia Richards and Juan Osorno | | |
Living Ag in the Classroom
Living Ag in the Classroom is an excellent program that provides opportunities for those working in agriculture to engage with students and teach them about agriculture. As stated on the Living Ag Classroom website, "The Living Ag Classroom educates elementary school-aged children on the diversity of agriculture in the state of North Dakota, and its role in feeding the nation and the rest of the world."
As seen in the North Dakota Today news segment linked above, Northarvest has actively participated in Living Ag in the Classroom this year. Several of our Board Members and Growers have helped share about the key role that the dry bean industry plays in our state. Board Members join Jon Hansen, Educational Outreach Associate for NBGA, to play a trivia game with students, to make learning about beans fun and interactive.
Northarvest has hosted a bean session at Living Ag in the Classroom programs in Jamestown - in conjunction with the Winter Ag & Construction Expo - Minot, Bismarck, and Fargo, with thousands of students already having been reached this year. Another session is on the calendar for early April in Lisbon. Hansen has enjoyed watching student reactions, “The kids love to hear from the farmers, there are always lots of ‘wide eyes’ and the kids really participate well.”
Northarvest extends our gratitude to all the Growers who volunteered to support Living Ag in the Classroom, and to Jon Hansen for facilitating the program. We appreciate you, David Wieler, Leann Schafer, Dexter Cronquist, Eric Jorgenson, Tony Richards, and Eric Samuelson - as do all the students who played the trivia game and were able to learn firsthand from growers!
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Tony Richards (NBGA Treasurer + Director) engages a group of students to teach about the important role dry beans play in local agriculture | |
Eric Samuelson (NBGA Director and Past President) plays the bean trivia game with the students | |
Eric Jorgenson (NBGA President) and students enjoying the bean trivia game | |
Leann Schafer (North Dakota Dry Bean Council member & Treasurer) shares her dry bean knowledge with students | |
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Northarvest Represents the Dry Bean Industry on Numerous February Trade Missions with USDBC
Northarvest participated in three trade missions in February. Thank you to the growers and processors who traveled to countries around the world to represent the U.S. dry bean industry.
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L-R: Austin Chandonnet (Michigan, Bayside Best Beans), Matt Stawowy (Michigan, Steele & Co.), Alexa Tonkovich (USDBC Rep), Eric Samuelson (Minnesota, Grower) | Samuelson and Tonkovich observing bean products available in grocery stores | |
Bean/pulse display at a grocery store.
Photo provided by Eric Samuelson.
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Northarvest Grower Shares About Beans in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands
Eric Samuelson, NBGA Director and Past President, recently went on a U.S. Dry Bean Council trade mission in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The mission was coordinated by Alexa Tonkovich, USDBC EU/UK Consultant.
Samuelson reported that the team spent four days in London meeting with industry leaders. The first stop was the U.S. Embassy in London, where they met with USDA officials who gave an overview of the UK ag economy and bean consumption. They also had several other meetings, primarily with the food ingredient sector.
In Amsterdam, the meeting with the U.S. Embassy covered similar topics, with an overview of bean intake patterns and the ag economy.
Samuelson explained that a meeting with the VP of International Procurement for Kraft Heinz was productive, fostering better understanding for both sides of how to facilitate imports of U.S. dry beans into the UK. Tariffs were among the main talking points. Samuelson also received a direct question from the VP to explain the sustainability of beans from a U.S. farmer's perspective.
Tonkovich commented on the overall mission and some of her key takeaways. "The recent USDBC trade mission to the UK and the Netherlands was a valuable opportunity for U.S. industry members to reconnect with key players in the market like Princes and Kraft Heinz, as well as a chance to dive deeper into the growing plant-based protein market in Northern Europe. The timing was opportune, as discussions around retaliatory tariffs between the U.S. and Europe are causing tremendous uncertainty for current and potential buyers of U.S. dry beans. Buyers in the UK and Europe will be watching this closely over the next few months."
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Northarvest on the 2025 USDBC Caribbean Trade Mission
David Scholand of Central Valley Bean participated in the U.S. Dry Bean Council's February trade mission to the Caribbean. The team had several key meetings and site visits in both the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
When reflecting on the productive mission, Scholand was impressed by how beans are such an important food in the Caribbean. "It was amazing how dry beans are a staple there, in every meal. It's rice and beans, and then usually meat of some type. It's incredible how you can go to the markets and you will find small bags of beans. People buy what they can afford that day - a meal's worth. Like we go to the deli and get chicken, they go to the market and get a little bag of beans."
Scholand also found it to be a culturally eye-opening experience. Although he does not speak Spanish, he felt welcome, and he enjoyed the sense of adventure and surprise - he did not always know what he was being served, but he liked trying new things. He said that one of his favorite bean dishes was rice and beans served with fried pork.
In terms of how beans are received and packaged, Scholand said that they saw several nice facilities with automated equipment. These facilities receive larger packages and often repackage into smaller bags intended for sale in stores to consumers.
One thing that stood out to Scholand and the trade mission team was the high tariff on U.S. beans in Jamaica. This was in sharp contrast to the situation with Belize, due to the free trade agreement Jamaica has with Caribbean countries. People in Jamaica like pinto beans and there is a great opportunity there, but the tariffs pose a challenge.
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L-R: Jose Barrios (USDBC Representative), Jay Ewald (Colorado, Northern Feed & Bean), David Scholand (North Dakota, Central Valley Bean), Mr. Chepe García (Casa Chepe), Greg Ackerman (Michigan, Grower) | Photos contributed by David Scholand | |
Photos contributed by Sarina Welsh | |
Northarvest at Gulfood, the Largest Food and Beverage Show in the Middle East
Gulfood is held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and is the largest food and beverage show in the Middle East. Attendees gather from around the world to exhibit, network, observe product innovation, and engage in business deals. Echo and Andy Hacker of Bonanza Bean and Ryan Ammermann (Minnesota Dry Bean Research & Promotion Council Vice Chair) recently participated in this important show.
Ammermann reported back his impressions of the show: "The Gulfood show is the first food show I've attended since being a board member of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association. As a Farmer/Producer of dry beans, it was fascinating to see the inner workings of trading our products. One thing I noted was the importance of building and properly maintaining relationships with the buyers in other cultures. They place a high value on face to face contact. Attending Gulfood illustrated to me that the demand for U.S. grown dry beans is very alive and well, with a focus on pricing and the high quality beans produced by Northarvest growers."
Echo Hacker shared that, "Gulfood was another great show for US Dry Beans. There was great interest in beans but also hesitations due to tariff talks and all around economic uncertainty."
Sarina Welsh of AgriSource is the Southeast Asia Representative for the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council and U.S. Dry Bean Council. She has years of experience helping associations like USDBC participate in trade shows and operate effective booths. Welsh commented, "Gulfood is a great platform for the U.S. dry bean industry to showcase its high-quality products to a global audience. It facilitates valuable connections with international buyers from all over the world, expanding market opportunities and boosting exports. By participating, the industry reinforces its reputation for the U.S.'s quality, sustainability, and reliable supply."
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The Dry Bean Scene is sponsored, in part, by NBGA. Click on the links below to listen to the most recent episodes.
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➡️ March 8, 2025: NDSU Extension Crops Economist Frayne Olson explains the impacts that tariff changes may have on the dry bean industry.
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➡️ February 28, 2025: Johnstown Bean Company General Manager Dylan Karley previews the upcoming planting season. He is forecasting a likely drop in dry edible bean acreage.
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➡️ February 23, 2025: NDSU Extension Cropping Systems Specialist Jeff Stachler says it is important to know what types of herbicide resistance you have, and that effective weed control is critical.
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➡️ February 14, 2025: NDSU Plant Pathologist Sam Markell discusses issues affecting dry beans, such as soybean cyst nematode and how variety selection is important. You can hear more in the Getting It Right Dry Bean Production recordings.
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Do you know someone who would enjoy Northarvest News? Forward to a fellow bean grower, family, and friends so they can sign up and be in the NBGA know, too! | | |
Thank you for reading. NBGA wishes you a good rest of your March, and we look forward to sharing more news and updates in April. | | |
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4844 Rocking Horse Circle S, Suite 2
Fargo, ND 58104 • info@northarvestbean.org
www.northarvestbean.org
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