At Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) Foundation, we are proud to highlight the supporters who help us connect classrooms to agriculture. This Investor Spotlight features the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, a key partner that is helping us grow agricultural literacy across Minnesota and beyond.
A Deep-Rooted Investment in Education
The Northarvest Bean Growers Association (NBGA) represents dry edible bean growers from Minnesota and North Dakota, two of the top-producing states in the nation. Their commitment to promoting the industry includes a strong focus on education and outreach, making them a natural and valued partner of the MAITC Foundation.
Northarvest’s support helps our mission by providing resources for students and educators to explore where their food, fuel and fiber comes from and how agriculture impacts their lives. Thanks to their investment, we’re able to deliver tools like AgMags, standards-based lessons, and teacher workshops that bring the story of agriculture into classrooms across the state.
Jennifer Hanson, Finance Director with Northarvest, has played a significant role in this effort, contributing several bean-focused lesson plans to the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix. These classroom-ready resources make it easier for educators to bring the story of dry beans into science, health, and social studies lessons.
Celebrating Agriculture at Minnesota Bean Day
Each year, Northarvest brings growers, researchers, and industry leaders together for Minnesota Bean Day, a highlight event in the region’s agricultural calendar. This annual gathering in Fargo, North Dakota, provides a platform to discuss challenges, innovations, and the future of dry bean farming.

This past year, Ann Marie Ward, Executive Director of the MAITC Foundation, had the opportunity to present at Bean Day. She shared how Northarvest’s support is advancing agricultural literacy and showcased how MAITC’s classroom-ready materials are making a difference across Minnesota.
“Connecting with growers at Minnesota Bean Day was a powerful reminder that agriculture literacy is a community effort,” Ward shared. “The passion these producers have for their work, and their desire to share that story with the next generation, is truly inspiring.”
Engaging Students in Fun and Meaningful Ways
Beyond classroom lessons, Northarvest supports fun, interactive tools that engage students in learning. One great example is the Bean Personality quiz from the Bean Institute, which helps learners explore different types of beans in a light-hearted way while still making agricultural connections.
Another standout moment was the Bean Game featured at the 2025 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference, which gave educators a hands-on, memorable way to connect with bean production and processing. These creative, engaging activities are a great example of how Northarvest supports both learning and fun.
Supporting Agricultural Literacy, Together
Northarvest Bean Growers Association’s support of MAITC reflects a shared commitment to helping students understand agriculture in meaningful ways. Their investment extends beyond funding, it helps us provide educators with the resources they need to teach about food systems, the science behind agriculture, and the role of crops like dry beans in a healthy diet.
Partnerships like this allow us to reach more classrooms, create high-quality educational materials, and continue building agricultural literacy across Minnesota. We appreciate Northarvest’s ongoing collaboration and their dedication to connecting students with the world of agriculture.