Dry Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
Dry beans (kidney, black turtle, and other market classes) are warm-season annual legumes grown on well-drained soils for dry-edible markets. Suitable for Zones 3-11 with 90-115 day maturity; nitrogen-fixing and frost-sensitive.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Growing Season
- Plant
- Late May - mid June (soil >60F) – Late May - mid June (soil >60F)
- Harvest
- Sept - early Oct (90-115 days) – Sept - early Oct (90-115 days)
- Frost-free days
- 100+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,600
Yield
- Typical yield
- 1,500 lbs/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
Established crop with known regional buyers
Price Trend Stable/Up
Price stable over past 3 years
Supply Below Demand
Regional supply roughly balanced with demand
Multiple Buyer Channels
Multiple market channels: wholesale, retail, processing, and/or direct
Value-Added Potential
Limited value-added processing opportunities
Market Growth Projected
Stable market outlook
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Region's hardiness zone within crop range (3.0-11.0)
GDD Sufficient
Regional GDD (2600) meets crop requirement (1600)
Precipitation Compatible
Regional precipitation (~40 in/yr) compatible with crop needs
Frost-Free Season OK
Frost-free season (160 days) meets crop requirement (100 days)
Chill Hours Met
Chill hour requirement N/A for this crop type or met by default
Climate Trend Favorable
Climate projections remain favorable for this crop in the region
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
Standard farm equipment compatible or easily adapted
Storage Available
Dry/ambient storage sufficient; commonly available on farms
Irrigation Compatible
Low water needs or rain-fed viable
Field Layout Suitable
Vineyard field layouts suitable for this crop
Labor Availability
Labor needs manageable with existing farm workforce
Processing Proximity
Processing/packing facilities within viable distance in WNY
Equipment Requirements
planting
Conventional tillage prepares fine seedbed. No-till is possible but requires specialized planters and good residue management.
Standard planter (corn/soybean) suits most market classes. Narrow-row systems (15-22") increase yield in some types but complicate harvest.
irrigation
Cost per acre installed. Irrigation common for high-value classes (white kidney, cranberry); rainfed acceptable for navy and pinto in adequate-rainfall regions.
spraying
Self-propelled or pull-type. Used for pre-emerge herbicide, foliar fungicide (white mold management), and pre-harvest desiccant.
cultivation
Mechanical weed control supplemental to herbicides. More important in organic systems and where herbicide-resistant weeds are present.
harvesting
Severs taproots and lifts plants into windrows for field-drying. Primary specialized investment that distinguishes dry-bean from soybean equipment.
Cost is for the pickup attachment / specialized header (combine itself shared with grain crops). Slow ground speed and gentle threshing reduce splits.
post_harvest
Dry beans are sold by visual standards. Stones, splits, and discolored seeds must be removed to meet contract grades. Custom cleaning services exist as alternative.
Storage at 13-15% moisture with aeration prevents quality loss. Cost is per typical 5,000 bushel bin. Shared with other small-grain storage.
general
Used or off-lease pricing. Shared with other row crops; not a dedicated dry-bean cost.
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue ($3,750/acre) exceeds regional average
Input Costs Acceptable
Annual operating costs ($1,000/acre) within typical farm budgets
Payback Period OK
Annual crop; returns in first season
Insurance Available
Federal crop insurance available
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Mechanized crop; good revenue per labor hour
Grants/Subsidies
Grant and subsidy programs available (Specialty Crop Block Grant, EQIP, Beginning Farmer, etc.)
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $25//cwt |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $3,750 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $1,000/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $245/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $2,000 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Available |
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA RMA, regional budget studies (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
Moderate pest/disease pressure; manageable with available methods
Market Diversified
Market access diversified across multiple channels
Low Establishment Risk
Low establishment risk; quick to establish or low upfront investment
Climate Resilient
Hardy and resilient to climate variability in the region
Regulatory Burden Low
Minimal regulatory burden for production and sale
Diversifies Portfolio
Diversifies farm revenue away from grape monoculture
Known Risks
disease
Most damaging disease of dry beans in temperate regions. Produces white cottony growth on stems and pods. Sclerotia persist in soil. Favored by dense canopy and wet conditions.
Seed-borne bacterial disease causing water-soaked lesions on leaves and pods. Reduces yield and seed quality. Spreads rapidly in warm, wet conditions.
Seed-borne and aphid-transmitted virus causing mosaic patterns, leaf curling, and stunting. Can reduce yields 25-60%.
Multiple soil pathogens cause seedling damping off and root rot, especially in cool, wet soils. Fusarium root rot is most persistent.
pest
Ladybird beetle relative whose larvae skeletonize leaves from underneath. Major pest in eastern North America. Can defoliate entire fields.
Adults feed on leaves creating round holes; larvae feed on roots and nodules. Also vectors bean pod mottle virus.
climate
Dry beans are sensitive to temperatures >32°C during flowering. Heat causes flower abortion, reduced pod set, and yield loss. Climate change increases frequency.
weather
Rain at harvest maturity causes seed staining, sprouting in pod, and quality downgrade. Dry beans are pulled or cut and windrowed before combining.
market
Dry bean markets are thin and price-volatile compared to corn/soybean. Prices swing with global supply (Mexico, China, Myanmar). Contract pricing helps stabilize.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Dry Bean against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from Cornell Cooperative Extension, Penn State Extension, USDA resources, and regional research.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
47 tracked changes across 8 data categories