Fifteen farmers, all members of the Grain Growers Cooperative, Inc., planted approximately 1,800 acres of natto and tofu soybean varieties in 2001 for food markets in Japan. Acreage in 2002 is expected to more than double and by 2005 about 100 farmers should be growing soybeans for this niche market. Last year, the project received a grant for a color sorter, which enabled the cooperative to obtain a major contract and higher prices for their soybeans. This grant is to expand and equip the facility in Zebulon to store and package the natto and tofu soybeans for sale and shipment to Japan.
