By Mr. Grant Jones chairman OBPMB
Acreage for white beans, also known as Navy Beans, increased to just under 72,000 acres in 2012 and yields have been average but prices are declining and have dropped to $36.00per cwt. (bag). This is due to excellent yields in Min/Dak and Manitoba and this may create a large carry over.
Merger talks between the White Bean and the Coloured Bean growers continued in 2012.  However the original proposal which the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission accepted on June 7, 2012 was changed on July 12: 2012. The Ontario Agri Business Association asked that there be less regulations.
As a result one of the concessions the white bean board has been asked to make, is the ability to negotiate and establish charges for such “service charge” processes as drying, storage, and pick for all beans. It will only be able to negotiate these charges for the few beans that are sold through the pool system. Charges related to beans sold outside of a pool will have to be negotiated between a contracting grower and buyer.
Since the Ontario White Bean Producers Market Board has been entrusted the responsibility to act in the best interest of the growers it represents, it met on September 10 and the directors passed a motion, in a vote of 8 to 1, to pull out of the merger vote. The board felt some of the terms and conditions of the merger were concessions or give ups and not in the long term best interest of growers.
Nor did these align with the original guiding principles and proposals at the steering committee ‘level, hence the Board’s action to withdraw. On September 21 the Ontario Farm Products Commission chair, Geri Kamenz, sent a letter to the chairmen of both OBPMB and the Coloured Bean growers stating that the commission will proceed with the vote in late October.
I have always felt that a merger would have some benefits but not if it means taking away negotiations powers for all classes of dry beans in the province. It appears that a government body does not want to protect the rights of producers and it appears as if they have a mandate to deregulate all boards in the province.
I urge all producers, both large and small, to vote but to consider the ramifications of a yes vote.

The Ontario Coloured Bean Growers’ Association (OCBGA) is pleased that the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission (OFPMC) has ruled that all Ontario bean growers (white and coloured) will be given the opportunity to vote despite the Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board (OBPMB) decision to pull out of the merger process. A question of this magnitude should be decided by all growers and not just an elected few stated Dave Woods, OCBGA chair.

The full Press release can be found here

The Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board (OBPMB) is opposed to a recent decision by the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission (OFPMC) to proceed with a planned bean producer vote despite the fact that the OBPMB has formally withdrawn from a merger process with the Ontario Coloured Bean Growers’ Association (OCBGA).
Grant Jones, Chair of the OBPMB, said, “I am disappointed that the commission has served notice that it will proceed with a vote given that one party to the merger is not in favour of it under current conditions.”
Subsequent to the development of the proposal, the commission changed some of the terms to the point that the OBPMB believes that the agreement, and its new imposed conditions, is no longer in the best interest of white bean growers of the province.
“A single bean organization, in principle, is still a worthwhile goal but the Commission’s conditions, as they currently stand, are not in the best interest of our growers. We were expecting and promised a win, win, win situation under this amalgamation but is it?” Jones added.
According to the Commission’s letter to the two bean boards, a voters’ package will be distributed, by mail, to producers in October.
Jones concluded, “I urge all producers, both large and small, to vote but to consider the ramifications of a yes vote.”
The full press release and backgrounder can be found here

On September 18^th
the Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board (OBPMB) served notice that it is withdrawing from the merger process.
A number of contentious issues were not being resolved to the Board’s satisfaction.  So; “If it’s not what you want; why do it?”
A special ad-hoc meeting of the full board of directors  was called and in a recorded vote the OBPMB passed a motion that said: “That the Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board pulls out of the merger vote.”
Some of the terms and conditions of merger were viewed as not in the long term best interest of growers.  Nor did they align with the original guiding principles and proposals from the steering committee, hence the Board’s action to withdraw.
“A single bean organization, in principle, is still a worthwhile goal; however it must be a good deal for all producers and have some net tangible benefits for all parties involved.”

The Press Release can be viewed here

September 6, 2012 (Winnipeg) – A special supplement to the highly regarded British Journal of Nutrition (BJN) adds further evidence to the importance of “eating your peas”.  BJN Volume 108, Supplement S1, “The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Pulses for Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease and Cancer”, features 16 new articles including both reviews and original research, focused on the latest developments in pulse nutrition and health.

The Pulse Canada News Release can be viewed here

Alberta Pulse Growers, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and Manitoba Pulse Growers are urging growers to review the international maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by regulatory agencies for the harvest management products they are using.

“Producers who don’t take MRLs into account when they desiccate their crops run the risk of reducing their marketing options later.”

Harvest management tools acceptable for pulse markets in 2012  can be found in the following table “MARKET CONSIDERATIONS FOR SPECIFIC HARVEST AIDS’

Click here to download the table in PDF format

Brescia University College’s Food Product Development course is quickly drawing to a close.
Students enrolled in Food and Nutritional Sciences through Brescia or Western University taking course FN3310B were tasked to design and develop novel innovative recipes for larger public sector institutions that would incorporate Ontario beans.  Thirteen project teams of two students each were established and each team chose a public sector institution as their major customer.  Based on the institution chosen students targeted and tailored the product accordingly.

A Poster and Product Presentation – of the projects and samples of the students’ final product will be presented at the final class Thursday, April 5^th, 2012 at 9:00 AM until 10:30 AM at Brescia University College Auditorium in London ON.

Come see and taste what eager, young and enthusiastic budding food scientists have come up with – sample bite sized meatloaf, smoothies, puddings, pastas, pancakes and samosas, all can be made with Ontario grown beans

The Refashioned Bean

Claire Harrison, according to her Blog – ‘The Food ReFashionista’, is semi-retired professional writer and editor from Ottawa who has two major interests: writing and cooking and through blogging wants to expand her and her readers culinary world.
She finds herself gluten-sensitive, lactose-intolerant, and has to diet for health reasons.
She began her quest for healthier eating by re-fashioning favorite dishes and those with potential, to create her own recipes that would help her and others, that find themselves in the same position by writing and posting her findings and creations on-line.
She has since branched out and created a second blog “The Bean Bake Blog”, using a basic recipe from the Ontario Bean Producers’ she has begun refashioning the Lemon Bean Cake recipe (pg. 20) into a number of , sweet or savory alternative, healthy and nutritious ‘Bean Bakes’ dishes like – Cauliflower-Salsa Bean Bake and Dip.  Check all the different recipes out – click on the “Bean Bake Blog” link above.

Are you up for a challenge?

What about copping off with a cash prize?

Think you have right stuff?

Then develop an innovative food product containing pulses?

Check out Mission Impulseible – here

Registration deadline is February 13^th – don’t delay! 

 To see what others have done previously check it out here.

South Africa Grain Information Service (SAGIS) sees a drop in bean acres – fourth in a row for that that country.  Seeded area is expected to drop by 11% while production could hold steady, if there is a reasonable growing season.
South Africa (RSA) can import and resell beans (from China) at prices that free up RSA farmers to plant corn, soybeans, and sunflower. [Editors note:  and presumably be more profitable at that]. 
Meanwhile North America is expecting a sizable jump in acres for 2012 and a concomitant drop in prices.  Not everyone expects pronounced price weakness however. Acres and trend line yields may be just enough to restock the pipelines and keep grower prices up sufficiently to entice growers for the next year 2013.  This early in the season one can hardly predict – with any accuracy – how good the coming year’s harvest or prices will be.