Researchers at the University of Guelph are donating over 5,000 pounds of beans to the Guelph Food Bank instead of discarding them. Mohsen Yoosefzadeh Najafabadi, a dry bean breeder and computational biologist at the university’s Ontario Agriculture College, focuses on enhancing bean yield and resilience to stress. Despite growing over 100,000 bean plants for research, only a small fraction is utilized annually. Yoosefzadeh Najafabadi breeds different types of beans to develop a superior strand through a selection process spanning several years.
The surplus beans, including navy, cranberry, black, kidney, pinto, and adzuki varieties, will support the Guelph Food Bank and United Way’s fundraising art event. Guelph Food Bank CEO Carolyn McLeod-McCarthy highlighted the growing demand for their services, with over 5,000 individuals, including children, benefiting monthly. The increase aligns with Food Banks Canada’s 2025 Hunger Count report, revealing a doubling in nationwide monthly food bank visits compared to 2019.
Yoosefzadeh Najafabadi’s commitment to community involvement extends beyond this donation, expressing his intention to collaborate with other organizations in need. McLeod-McCarthy emphasized the significance of such contributions in alleviating financial pressures and enhancing food diversity at the food bank. The University of Guelph’s ongoing support is anticipated to make a substantial impact in addressing food insecurity challenges.