The Yellow Bean

 Over the past nine years, with funds supplied by eight grants, the Idaho Bean Commission, in cooperation with the University of Idaho, and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture has promoted exports of Idaho-certified seed to Mexico, with marked success. In 2008 Global Trade Information Services reported that dry bean seed exports from Idaho accounted for 52% of all dry bean seed imported into Mexico.

 A bean that Americans are not to familiar with is the yellow bean. It has been extremely popular in Mexico for the last four centuries and is variously referred to as Peruano, Azufrado, or Mayocoba. Regardless of the name, it represents an emerging market class in the U.S.

 Kathy Stewart-Williams an agricultural researcher from the University of Idaho predicts that when US consumers discover these qualities, they may follow Mexico’s example and make the yellow bean the most popular dry bean on the US market. The Idaho Bean Commission promotes Idaho’s reputation as a consistent, top-quality, disease-free, dry and green bean seed producer.