Supply in dry edible bean markets is a little heavy right now, with carry over in almost every market class.

Derwyn Hodgins of Hensall District Co-op says because of this, he expects navy and kidney bean acreage to drop this year. On the other hand, Hodgins thinks pinto bean acreage will be stable in Manitoba this year.

"They tend to be grown more on spec production," he says, "and based on conversations with dealers south of the border and Manitoba dealers, we think pinto acres are going to maintain. They're not going to grow, they're probably not going to drop, and there are some things happening. The U.S. government has been in and purchased some old crop pintos for food aid. So pintos have been a stable producer for Manitoba and Minnesota/North Dakota."

Hodgins says black bean acreage also looks to be steady in Manitoba, with growing demand coming from Mexico.

Hodgins stresses it's important that farmers choose to grow whatever crop dealers have contracts for, whether that's black beans, pintos, or other crops like corn and canola.