The western bean Cutworm monitoring program needs the help of bean producers in the province

- Peak moth flight for WBC is expected this week or next week (2-3 weeks earlier this year)

- WBC moth numbers in Ontario traps are much higher than last year

- bean growers need to scout their earliest planted fields starting this week for WBC feeding damage on the pods. If they find significant damage, they need to spray the field with Matador asap.

Please refer to the links in Tracey Baute’s “Bugblog” below for specific information.

- all bean growers are encouraged to email or call 519-784-7110.

“We need fields to do small plot research on insecticide efficacy.”

 http://bautebugblog.com/wbc-management-in-dry-beans

 http://bautebugblog.com/wbc-infosheets-and-maps

There has been a request by several producers if there was a way they could easily get acces to current prices and market information. We have heard your request!

Beginning in the second half of July 2010, there will be regular posts of bean prices from the various regions around the world where whte beans are produced.  There will be a link to a printable report with each post so that producers can easily see where pricing in Ontario compares to the world market.  Check back often.

June 30^th marked an important date.  Acreage numbers were released in the USA.  And in Ontario it marks the deadline for reporting acres for crop insurance.  As well it is the deadline for Ontario producers to declare their intention to grow white beans outside of the pooling system.
The US report is aggregated by State and Market class (pinto, navy, black, etc.) The US numbers show a jump of 13% – all classes and Navy bean acres at 223,300 acres is a 14.8% increase.  The US numbers came in pretty much as expected but lower than internal OBPMB estimates.
In Ontario a late surge in reporting of acres show WPB planting just shy of 80,000 acres substantially above industry guesses (65K) and well above what initial seed sales would indicate. 
The other major growing region Manitoba has industry guessing 60,000 acres however inclement weather has perhaps diminished those expectations.
In total North America may have a crop base of between 360 – 370,000 acres which may be enough to replenish the supply pipeline if overall yields can maintain or surpass trend of 1700 lb. per ac. otherwise 2010 may be a squeaker.

A quick and early jump on the season continues to be the norm for the 2010 planting season.  As of the first week of June good progress in seeding this year’s edible bean crop is being reported.

Reports from the Red River Valley show between two thirds (2/3) and three quarters of the intended acres are in the ground.  Similarly in Manitoba seeding completion approached 70%.  In Ontario growers had picked up nearly 65% of their seed bookings.  And in Michigan the USDA NASS field office showed the following

             Crop progress for week ending 05/30/10

  ————————————————————–

                              :  This  :  Last  :  Last  : 5-year

            Crop            :  week  :  week  :  year  :average

  ————————————————————–

                            :              Percent

Corn, planted                 :   93       85       89       94

Corn, emerged               :   80       63       55       69

Dry beans, planted       :   23        2        5        7

Oats, emerged                :  100       95       78       92

Oats, headed                  :    5         0          1        5

Soybeans, planted          :   73       50       59       77

Soybeans, emerged         :   45       22       23       38

Winter wheat, headed     :   65        8       22       33

    ———————————–

By all reports those crops and fields planted, are at, or well ahead of schedule.

The only fly in the ointment has been the weather which in these past critical days for dry beans has turned very wet.  Manitoba experienced 4-6 inches of rain, Ontario’s bean growing area also got hit but with spotty and heavy coverage.  Radar weather showed Michigan also receiving heavy showers through the bean growing zone.  The last part of the bean crop will go into the ground at teh tail end of the optimum planting window.

The USDA’s  February Vegetable and Melons Outlook suggests steady to modestly higher edible bean acres.  Early analysis points to an increase in area for Black and Navy beans, with much smaller increases possible for garbanzo, light and dark red kidney, and pinto beans.

Most key factors point to increased dry bean area with average grower bids hovering near $30/cwt. this should translate into an increase of 1 to 3% in seeded area over last year’s 1.54 million acres.

Lower input costs for dry beans, very attractive prices for most all dry bean classes (especially Black, Navy, and Great Northern), relatively good export demand, the beginnings of an economic recovery in domestic markets, relatively low stocks, and lower prices for important competing crops such as corn, soybeans, and barley will help and encourage planting from the cost of production and input side.

For the full report click here

Calgary, Alberta

Mark your calendar for: November 3 – 5, 2010.

Building on previous successful workshops, researchers will be presenting their latest results.

Come and hear updates on: Nutrition and Health; Plant Breeding Initiatives; Novel Uses of Pulse Crops; Pulse Agronomy, Diseases and Insects; Pulses and the Environment.

For the Preliminary agenda and registration details click
8th CPRW Invite

“Think Outside the Pod”
presented by: Ontario Coloured Bean Growers’ Association
~ All Bean Growers Welcome – Past, Present Future ~
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Community Centre, Kirkton, ON
9:50 am – 3:00 pm

For the full agenda and registration details click

Latest March 4 Agendadraft

The Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board (OBPMB) of directors has issued an interim payment to all growers who delivered beans to ‘the Pool’ of $10.00 per bag or $220.46 per Mt.  The cheques are in the mail as of February 19^th 2010.  This is an interim payment which is additional to the initial payment of $22.07/bag ($486.56/Mt.) for a total payment to date for Pool beans of $32.07/bag or approximately $707.00/Mt. less licensing fees that were deducted at harvest.  A final payment for beans delivered to the Pool will be made in late September or early October once the OBPMB has undergone its annual audit.

Dry bean acreage could see an increase in Manitoba this year, says a story from Syngenta Farm.
Roxanne Roels, executive director of the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association Inc., said early indications suggest dry bean area in the province could climb to around 150,000, up about 10,000 acres from the previous year.
Last year’s good yields, and favorable that current prices are the driving factors.
Read more of the story here

The Ontario Bean Producers’ has a limited amount of admission tickets to:

Canadian International Farm Show
February 17–19, 2009
International Centre – 6900 Airport Road,
Toronto Ontario

Fill out the application form and fax in by January 31^st and receive a 3 day pass in the mail.

You must act before January 31^st 2010.  Click here or on any of the above links.