Did you know Canada is a world leader in bean production, exporting our high-quality beans to more than 70 countries? That’s right, our high-quality beans are the talk of the town.
Who can we thank for ensuring nutritious and delicious beans are on dinner plates? Canadian bean farmers! It’s the farmers whose hands are in the ground making the magic happen, from preparing the soil and planting seeds to caring for the plants through maturity and harvest!
Meet the FarmersBeans are planted every year between early May to early June. The typical growing season for beans lasts 90-115 days, with harvest happening in mid-September. Farmers closely monitor their crop throughout the growing season to make sure the plants stay healthy; mitigating any risks that could cause the crop damage like pests, weeds, and disease.
Mid-September is harvest time! Beans are ready to harvest when the plant turns brown and the seeds are sufficiently dry and hard. Beans are harvested by combining or by direct harvest.
Once harvested, beans are delivered to an elevator where they are electronically sorted, cleaned, and polished. Beans that are too large, immature, damaged, or discoloured (along with any stones, sticks, or mud) are all discarded during sorting. All those perfect beans are then stored in silos, ready to be shipped.
Now more than ever, consumers are interested in where their food comes from and its impact on the environment. As nitrogen-fixers, beans have a positive impact on the environment, improving air, water, and earth.
From black beans and pinto to adzuki and cranberry, Canada grows 9 types of beans across Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
Beans need less water and energy than animal proteins, meaning they can feed more people using fewer resources.
100 grams of protein from beans results in less than 1 kilogram of emissions, compared to upwards of 28 kilograms from other sources!
Nitrogen in the atmosphere contributes to climate change. Nitrogen in the soil makes plants grow. Beans take nitrogen out of the atmosphere and put it back into the soil through a process called nitrogen fixation.
Many Canadian bean farms are family-owned, passed down through generations. This creates a deep commitment to preserving and improving the land’s health for their children and grandchildren.
Bean farmers are always innovating, looking for ways to utilize new farming practices, technologies, and modern equipment.
Choosing Canadian beans means directly supporting our farmers, strengthening local economies, and keeping good jobs right here at home.
Buy Canadian Beans!
Beans are the future, and we aren’t afraid to shout it from the rooftops! Whether you include beans in your homemade meals or look for new and exciting sustainable food products that include beans (looking at you bean burgers), one thing is for sure, incorporating beans as an ingredient can reduce the carbon footprint of the final product. We think that’s a yummy win!