**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT AIMS AT ENHANCING BOTH AGRONOMIC AND END-USE QUALITY TRAITS OF ORGANIC DRY BEANS THROUGH PLANT BREEDING AND DEVELOPING VALUE-ADDED BEAN PRODUCTS USING ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE PROCESSING AND PACKAGING. ORGANIC BEAN FARMERS FACE PRODUCTION CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY SEEDLING VIGOR AND HARVESTABILITY THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE BEAN QUALITY FOR END-USERS. BOTH THE PRODUCTION AND END-USE CHARACTERISTICS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH GENETIC IMPROVEMENT, AND BY CONSIDERING BOTH TOGETHERIN A BREEDING PROGRAM, NEW CULTIVARS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ADOPTED BY FARMERS AND APPEAL TO CONSUMERS. WHILE DRY BEANS ARE NUTRIENT-RICH, THE PER CAPITA U.S. CONSUMPTION REMAINS LOW. THEREFORE, DEVELOPING APPEALING VALUE-ADDED BEAN PRODUCTS IN READILY-RECYCLABLE AND CONVENIENT PACKAGING SHOULD GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH BREEDING EFFORTS TO FURTHER ENSURE ADOPTION. WE PROPOSE TO BREED IMPROVED VARIETIES AND DEVELOP ORGANIC BEAN PRODUCTS OF HIGHER QUALITY, WHICH ARE READY-TO-EAT, HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLY PROCESSED. OUR SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) BREED DRY BEAN FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND END-USE QUALITY. 2) DEVELOP VALUE-ADDED ORGANIC BEAN PRODUCTS USING SUSTAINABLE PROCESSING AND PACKAGING. 3) SENSORY EVALUATION, ASSESSMENT OF CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND MARKETING POTENTIAL OF VALUE-ADDED ORGANIC BEAN PRODUCTS. 4) EVALUATE PACKAGE PERFORMANCE OF POUCHES AND MICROWAVE STEAMABLE BAGS FOR BEANS. 5) DISSEMINATE OF PROJECT RESULTS THROUGH INTERACTIVE CROP AND PRODUCT EVALUATIONS.