GERING, Neb.—The Nebraska Dry Bean Growers Association (NDBGA) hosted Dry Edible Bean Day on Feb 11 at the Gering Civic Center in Gering, Neb. The event featured many speakers including Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Nebraska Director of Agriculture Steve Wellman, and Warning Coordinator Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Cheyenne Jared Allen. The event also played host to several vendors, a food drive, research presentations from the Panhandle Research and Extension Center (PHREC), and the NDBGA Annual Meeting.
A major topic of note was trade agreements between several different markets around the world. The United States is in the midst of negotiating free trade agreements various countries. Africa is one of those countries.
 “There is another free trade agreement that’s been negotiated by this administration in Africa. This is with Kenya and Rwanda’s participating in this,” Evnen said. “It signals a desire from these African countries to trade with the United States and in particular in ag issues.”
Courtney Schuler from Trinidad-Benham Corporation said, “It’s nice to hear updates on trades since trade is about 25% or more of our product in Nebraska goes into export markets every year.”
“Developing new markets overseas was real interesting too of what they’re trying to accomplish through the state on these missions,” said Dean Larson. “It’s good as a whole industry. It just doesn’t benefit Nebraska. It’s got trickle down effects to everybody in the dry bean industry. Anytime you can open up new markets, it’s a plus.”
Keith Cundall, who attended the event, was very pleased with the possibilities for foreign markets. “What’s really nice to hear is that they’re out there working for the Dry Bean Commission as getting our beans to different countries,” said Cundall. “Opening these foreign markets is a big asset.”

Steve Wellman, Nebraska Director of Agriculture, spoke about programs to support growth, including the Livestock Friendly program and forecasting growth with the demand for livestock, poultry and fish set to double.
Wellman said, “Nebraska is very well situated to be a main supplier of these protein products” which includes dry beans.
Other topics Wellman discussed were our top ten exported products and export markets, trade policy and aid, major provisions in the 2018 farm bill, hemp as a crop, the effects of flooding from 2019, and the recently introduced legislation involving the brand committee.
“It’s really about producing more, conserving more, and being more effective and more efficient in our production and supplying food for the world as the highest quality, the safest product that anybody could ever look for and it’s at a cost that’s very reasonable,” said Wellman.
Wellman also highlighted that sign-up for PLC (Price Loss Coverage) and ARC (Agricultural Risk Coverage) options is due March 15.
Major topics Jared Allen, Warning Coordinator Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Cheyenne, discussed were projected weather predictions and a brand new outreach program from the National Weather Service.
Allen said, “We always as the Weather Service love to work with our core partners, which include the agriculture partners. Agriculture is a huge part of Wyoming. It’s a huge part of Nebraska and anytime that we can better understand the needs of everybody that we serve, the better our services and products will be, and then therefore everyone can stay safe and weather aware.”
Allen also spoke about the canal collapse and a report that the Weather Service put together to help explain how weather may have contributed to the collapse.
Allen also spoke about how the weather challenges of 2019 and the positive drought and soil moisture level monitors for the Nebraska Panhandle and eastern Wyoming.
Growers, vendors, and attendees were also invited to stay for food and a social hour following the presentations. Coordinators of the event said the event was very successful.