Under ideal conditions, American-grown bean products can be planted and harvested within 90 to 120 days. In a climate such as exists in the United States, varieties that require more than 120 days are normally not planted because of the risk of frost and freeze damage.
The bean seed is planted in the spring, when the soil has warmed to about 65 degrees Fahrenheit – the ideal temperature for seed germination. The use of modern precision planters assures a uniform plant population.
Once the plant has matured to about 12 to 18 inches, it begins to develop small flowers that vary in color depending on the bean type. The flowers are followed by pods, within which the small beans begin to take shape.
One or two weeks before harvest, the plants turn a golden yellow. The leaves drop. And with just the stems and pods remaining, harvesting begins.
The American bean harvest begins in August and continues in various parts of the country until late October.
One of the reasons America leads the world in dry bean production is that the equipment used for harvesting is the most modern and technically advanced in the world.
Although equipment varies from region to region, most dry bean farmers use knife and windrow attachments on their tractors, special bean combines, direct-cut Flex Heads or any of a number of all-crop machines that have been specially altered to preserve the quality of the production.
These harvesters are fast, careful and clean, and the result is a bean harvest as high in quality as it is in yield.
When the beans arrive at the elevator for processing and packaging, they are graded according to moisture content and percentage of damaged beans and foreign material. America’s stringent grading system assures that consumers are getting the highest quality, most carefully harvested and inspected beans available anywhere.
After the beans are graded, they’re carefully cleaned. Again, advanced technology is at work. Sophisticated gravity tables, and electric eye scanning and screening devices make sure that bits and pieces of pods and stems are removed, along with stones, soil and other foreign material.
Finally, the beans are placed in storage to await loading and shipment to locations throughout the world.
Dry Bean Research – A Commitment to the Future
One reason the American bean industry continues to grow and prosper is the strong commitment to research. Currently, at least 16 major universities are doing extensive dry bean research to develop new varieties of insect – and disease-resistant dry beans. And research on nitrogen fixation, drought tolerance and the effects of soil compaction on dry bean root growth also contributes to the ultimate goal of developing higher quality, more cost-effective dry bean crops.
America – The Perfect Climate For Success
America leads the world in quality dry bean production for many reasons. Chief among them is climate. Long, mild summers and average rainfall amounts of about 11 to 12 inches during the growing season represent nearly perfect bean-growing conditions.
Dry bean production in the United States is centered in fourteen states and includes fifteen different classes of beans. A number of states specialize in the growing of a particular bean. For instance, Michigan is one of the largest producers of navy beans. California specializes in eight products. It grows the largest portion of large and baby lima beans and black eye beans in the U.S. It also produces light and dark kidneys, pinks, small whites and garbanzos. In Idaho, pintos, pinks, great northerns and small reds are referred to as the “Big 4,” and Nebraska is well-known as a producer of great northerns.
The volume produced by each state varies each year, primarily due to varying weather and drought conditions, but Michigan, North Dakota, Nebraska and California usually produce the largest volume of beans year in and year out.
