According to CALS professor of crop and soil sciences Bill Cox, warming climatic conditions in the North Country of New York have made the region more viable for soybean cultivation. As he explains, “It’s no longer too cool to produce soybeans in Northern New York with development of high-yielding… soybean varieties and the warmer summers in the region. As global warming continues over the next several decades, Northern New York may prove to be an ideal region for soybean production.“
This is good news for farmers In the region, who, since 2007, have tripled the acreage of soybeans under cultivation. Not only are soy and soy products consumed throughout much of the world, they are increasingly popular here at home, due, among other factors, to their high protein content and various nutritional benefits.
These benefits were first popularized in the United States in the 1940’s by Cornell professor of nutrition Clive McCay, and his wife, Jeanette McCay, who researched and promoted soy as an alternate source of protein during the food and meat shortages of WWII. Since then, soy products have found their way into foodstuffs ranging from Cornell Bread to vegan ice cream. To find out more about the McCay’s lives and work, click here.
