From the pages of Agricultural Research magazine New Soybeans Fill Tofu Niche Mike Baker, manager of North Carolina Foundation Seed Producers, frequently has tofu on his mind these days. But his hunger is for finding opportunities to help small-scale farmers in North Carolina. As a foundation seed manager, Baker is responsible for helping farmers get access to new, publicly released plant lines. But he's also concerned with giving growers marketing advantages.
Larger farms work on volume, and time is precious.
A tofu crop demands meticulous care, but you get compensated for that extra effort. Tofu is actually a cheese analog made from soybeans. Soybeans for tofu differ from those grown for livestock. Farmers who grow tofu soybeans earn premiums for the extra care involved in producing them. The market demands their soybeans be larger and free of chips or stains.