02/22/07 Two dry bean schools

Two new Idaho dry bean varieties, the potential impact the 2007 Farm Bill will have on specialty crops and a Bean Commission report on its activities in Mexico will be up for discussion next week. The Treasure Valley Bean School will be held in Caldwell next Monday, February 26th. The next day the school will be held in Twin Falls. Idaho Bean Commission chairman Brent Zeyer will talk about the bean seed trials that have been conducted for three years in Mexico. Idaho Foundation Seed's Kathy Stewart Williams says they're already making plans for year four of the Mexican field trials. STEWART WILLIAMS "We've been asked to do another black test in the state of Nayarit. We're trying to decide of we should do another black bean test in Zachatecas and then what we learned in our first test in the state of Sinaloa they grow a lot of yellow beans and that's what they're really interested in because they get a high dollar for that crop compared to pintos or blacks. If it all comes together our co-operator from that first test is going to send some seed, because he is a dealer, up to us." That seed would be grown in Idaho this summer and after it's been certified new yellow bean seed would be returned to Mexico for field trials next fall and winter. Registration for both schools begins at 8 am and lunch will be served. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott