Production

  1. Which U.S. states are the top producers of dry beans?
  2. What are the most popular dry beans (U.S. per capita use)?
  3. Where can I find information about the kinds of dry beans produced in each U.S. state?
  4. How many acres of dry beans are planted annually in the U.S.?
  5. Are there resources for data on acreage, yield, production, disappearance, price, and values of beans in the U.S.?
  6. How large a role does bean production play in the U.S. economy?
  7. What is the role of the U.S. in global production of dry beans?
  8. What percentage of U.S.-grown dry bean crops is exported to other countries?
  9. What is the global production of dry beans?
  10. Can dry beans be farmed using environmentally sustainable methods?
  11. What is the per capita bean consumption in the U.S.?
  12. Is there current research in regard to dry beans?

Which U.S. states are the top producers of dry beans?

1. North Dakota 32%
2. Michigan 17%
3. Nebraska 11%
4. Minnesota 9%
5. Idaho 8%
6. Colorado 5%
7. California 5%
8. Washington 4%

What are the most popular dry beans (U.S. per capita use)?

  1. Pinto beans
  2. Navy beans
  3. Great Northern beans
  4. Red kidney beans
  5. Black beans

Where can I find information about the kinds of dry beans produced in each U.S. state?

Map of U.S. dry bean production by variety [http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/rowcrops/a1133-us.gif]

How many acres of dry beans are planted annually in the U.S.?

Each year, U.S. farmers plant from 1.8 to 2 million acres of dry beans.

Are there resources for data on acreage, yield, production, disappearance, price, and values of beans in the U.S.?

The USDA web site offers many charts and resources that detail dry bean production statistics in the U.S. Here are a few:

How large a role does bean production play in the U.S. economy?

During 2001-03, dry bean farm cash receipts averaged $446 million-ninth among U.S. vegetables.

What is the role of the U.S. in global production of dry beans?

The United States is the sixth-leading producer of dry edible beans, behind Brazil, India, China, Burma, and Mexico.

What percentage of U.S.-grown dry bean crops is exported to other countries?

Approximately 20% of American-grown beans are shipped to international markets.

What is the global production of dry beans?

In 2005, world production of dry beans was 18 million metric tons, worth an estimated $11 billion (U.S.). The area harvested to dry beans was over 25 million hectares.

Can dry beans be farmed using environmentally sustainable methods?

Dry bean production can be more or less environmentally sustainable, depending on which practices are used. For more information on this topic, please visit the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/drybean.html

What is the per capita bean consumption in the U.S.?

Approximately 7.5 pounds of beans are consumed annually, per capita, in the U.S.

Is there current research in regard to dry beans?

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.