December 26, 2023
We share the most important insights from the US Dry Bean Council’s Webinar on the 2023 harvest, which took place on November 22.
The US Dry Bean Council 2023 Dry Bean Harvest Webinar was hosted by Rebecca Bratter, Executive Director of the US Dry Bean Council. It featured the following guest speakers: Craig Kelley of the Idaho Bean Dealers, Scott Bales of Michigan State University, Courtney Schuler of the Nebraska Dry Bean Advisory Board, and Mitch Coulter of Northarvest Bean Growers.
California had a strong year for bean production in 2023 despite the looming threat of drought. It remains one of the smaller bean producing states in the US – mostly dealing in Lima beans, black eyed beans, garbanzo, and common beans. November estimates place baby lima bean production at 68% above last year's total – up to 5,334 MT from last year's 3,173 MT total. Common bean varieties have risen by 1,784 tons – a more than 237% increase.
Large limas and chickpeas have seen respective drops in production of around 21% and 36% compared to 2022.
Martin Squires, a bean grower in the Central Valley of California, describes a big year for Californian beans: "Despite some serious challenges getting planting done, our production numbers did really well this year. Quality is up, especially in large and baby lima beans. We're not seeing any serious issues at all."
Looking towards the next market year, Squires predicts further rises in acreage: "Almonds have dropped to a point that farmers are not even breaking even and walnuts are even worse, so orchards have been coming out and there's a lot of interest in beans right now. Last year we had 13,452 acres, now we're up to 17,000. From what I'm hearing, we'll see even larger numbers next year. Beans are really having a moment in California! Even people who have been growing beans all along are looking to double their acreage next year."
Idaho and Washington have shifted their bean acres for seed production in recent years, explained Craig Kelley, representing the Idaho Bean Dealers: "Most of the bean seed production in the US is in Washington, Idaho, or Wyoming. The growing demand for disease-free, quality bean seed has shifted acreage towards bean seed production. Most growers in our region are now moving in this direction."
The estimate for total bean production in Idaho is approximately 48,567 MT, down by around 9% from the previous year. Acreage was down by roughly 5,000 acres YoY. Competing crops were at the heart of these changes, with higher prices for barley, sugar beets, and carrots putting the squeeze on bean acres.
Pinto beans remain the largest crop in both states – Washington estimates put the total production at 19,178 MT, whereas Idaho reports final production just under 10,000 MT. Conditions for the harvest were better than last year, with more normal yields and consistent seed size.
"The export market is pretty high right now and black beans and pintos are in high demand,” says Craig Kelley. "This means supplies are getting quite low. The drought situation in Central America has pushed demand for smaller red beans and it looks like carryover numbers are going to be down to zero in most classes."
Looking ahead to 2024, Kelley was optimistic: "Given the fact markets are strong, we have an increased interest in dry bean production, which could push commercial acres up a little higher and still keep our seed acres. The outlook looks good for next year. Demand for yellow beans has also increased exponentially – another item we grow in Idaho."
Despite some difficulties with moisture throughout the harvest, the 2023 bean crop in Michigan finished with quality between good and excellent, with large seed signs and good color across the classes. Estimates for yield across their acres fall to 2,400 Kg/ha – approximately 8% below the five year average.
Scott Bales, Researcher and specialist in dry beans at Michigan State University, detailed difficult initial conditions for the harvest: "We started very early with a historically dry spring. It progressed into one of the wettest summers in memory throughout July and September, providing us with adequate moisture for pod set and fill to produce a large seed size. We did have some issues with waterlogging, but this wasn’t an issue in Huron County where 70,000 of our 200,000 acres are located. There we had some historically high yields due to adequate moisture."
In western Michigan, where a lot of the state's coloured beans and different classes of red kidneys are planted reported below average yields due to heavy rains, but these acres represent less than 20% of total acreage. Inventory as of September was close to historical averages after a couple of years with low numbers due to Covid. While white mold was a problem in some areas, it was limited.
The outlook for the coming year, suggests Bales, is a positive one: "Our growers have been able to remain profitable and excited about dry bean production and, overall, processors are on the same page. We have had some challenges with labor in the state of Michigan, but processors have shown the need and desire to improve infrastructure and to do more with less people.”
Bales also suggested a decline in Navy bean acres was likely after a period of strong support by the markets begins to cool.
Of the 2023 Rocky Mountain production, 52% were pintos, 36% Great Northerns, and 3% light red kidneys. All bean crops are 100% irritated.
The October USDA production report suggested a drop in production of 10% in Nebraska, 14% in Colorado, and 1% in Wyoming. Courtney Shuler of the Nebraska Dry Bean Advisory Board suggests that these numbers may end up even worse: "The data was probably collected prior to some weather events that affected harvested acres and yield – I think when the January report comes out, these numbers are going to decline again."
Heavy spring rains delayed planting in around 30% of crops – rain much needed after several years of drought had reduced subsoil moisture. Severe weather events such as hail and thunderstorms drastically increased in 2023, with 172 severe warnings in the June planting period alone. A late fall with improved weather was key to allowing crops to mature fully.
In areas where weather challenges weren't an issue, yields were generally excellent and quality is good/excellent. For the coming year, Schuler highlighted some important conditions for success: "We need bean prices to remain strong and to continue to compete for acres. Input costs are also something we are going to have to look at moving into the next season, as well as the cost of weed control – that is becoming an increasingly big problem in production."
"The positives are that we now have an incredible supply of irrigation water and ending stocks are at a really manageable level moving forward."
North Dakota and Minnesota: “Ingredient markets for commodities are expanding off the charts, making it harder for pulses to compete”
Since the 2020 high of 815,000 acres, North Dakota has dropped its planted acres by 285,000. 6,500 acres were lost in 2023, with a cold and dry beginning to the growing season that turned hot and dry in June before rains came just in time in July and August. The state saw reduced yields and production – yields dropped by 291kg/ha YoY, and, the USDA put North Dakota's total harvested acres at around 510,000 – 9% down from last year.
Overall, the state planted 1% fewer acres and yielded 22% less production.
"In the end, it came down to rain,” said Mitchell Coulter of the North Harvest Bean Growers Association, “Certain areas of the state got rain and higher production and quality. As you move further west and into northern Dakota it did get pretty dry and we didn't get quite the same crop."
Carryover stock is reported to be around average for black and navy beans, but pinto carryover is higher than usual and section 32 purchases from the federal government have been requested.
One ongoing issue in North Dakota is a lack of rail supply to meet expanding demand from grain elevators in the state. Mitchell Coulter explains: "Roughly 3/4 of US railcars are not owned by the railroads, some are owned by shippers, but a large portion are owned by companies that lease cars to the shippers. Leasing supply has not expanded to meet rising demand from elevators, so supplies are especially inelastic for container rail cars – this is due to fewer cars available and higher interest rates.”
On the positive side, Pacific Northwestern rail rates fell 7% and truck rates fell 23% over the last year.
Similar to other states, commodity prices continue to be an issue for dry bean acreage in North Dakota. "Value-added processing is adding pressure to competition for acres," says Coulter. "We’re seeing a lot of soybean, canola, sunflower, and corn oil that are going into things like energy and food grading. Ingredient markets are expanding off the charts here, making it harder to compete."
Minnesota hit a peak of 275,000 acres of dry beans planted in 2020, but acres have dropped by 65,000 since. The October USDA-NASS report estimated 210,000 planted acres of dry beans this year.
Kidney beans continue to be a driver of the Minnesotan bean market with quality remaining high as irrigated acres play a big role – 33% of kidney bean acreage is currently irrigated. Total production of dry beans is reported to be 228,611 MT for this harvest – a 5% drop YoY. Yield is thought to be 33.6 kg/ha down compared with the 2022 crop.
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Disclaimer: The opinions or views expressed in this publication are those of the authors or quoted persons. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Global Pulse Confederation or its members.
