In December’s USDA supply/demand report, U.S. dry edible bean production was estimated at 22.7 million hundredweight for 2021. That’s down 30 percent from 2020. The harvested area totaled 1.3 million acres, down 20 percent from the previous year. The U.S. average yield for dry beans was 1,701 pounds per acre, down 261 pounds from 2020. USDA said the drought reduced the yields in North Dakota and it caused some dry beans to crack. There were reports of some farmers using those beans as livestock feed. The bean quality in some areas was good, but due to the drought the size of the beans were smaller. For Michigan, yields were very good for navy and black beans. In many cases, yields in Michigan’s thumb were the largest ever reported.
