Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Feb 22 2016
County-Level Commodity Estimates
County-level estimates for 2015 row crops are now available, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The estimates, based primarily on surveys conducted with farmers and ranchers last fall, can be accessed using the QuickStats online database, found here: www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/
County-level row crop estimates are not published if any of the following conditions exist:
  • Estimated planted acres are less than 500. ?
  • Insufficient number of producer reports were received to establish statistically defensible estimates. ?
  • Estimate would not guarantee confidentiality of reported data from an individual producer.
The commodity estimates released include sunflower, corn, and soybeans. County-level estimates for canola and flaxseed will be published later this month and dry edible peas, lentils, chickpeas, other dry edible beans and hay will be published in April 2016.
USDA to Invest $150 Million to Help Improve Working Lands
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that $150 million is available for agricultural producers through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest conservation program that helps producers voluntarily improve the health and productivity of private and Tribal working lands. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to add an estimated 10 million acres to the rolls of CSP during fiscal 2016. NRCS accepts applications for CSP throughout the year, but producers should submit applications by March 31 to a USDA Service center to ensure they are considered for enrollment in 2016. Participants with existing CSP contracts that will expire on December 31, 2016 have the option to renew their contracts for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional activities to achieve higher levels of conservation on their lands. Applications to renew are also due by March 31. For more information, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted
NSA Board of Directors Meets This Week
The National Sunflower Association Board of Directors will meet this week, February 24-25 in Fargo, ND. The meeting’s focus will be primarily on research – the board will decide which research projects to fund. They’ll also hear presentations from USDA-ARS and NDSU Researchers and tour USDA-ARS.
Production Resource Books Available on NSA Website
Spring planting is just around the corner, and this year sunflowers look to be a popular crop. Many producers are looking at oil and confection sunflowers, some for the first time in several years, and some for the first time ever. If that’s you or someone you know, there is helpful information available here.Check out the Sunflower Production Resource Book for your area. The books provide guidelines and recommendations on production practices, pest identification, field selection, and more. 
Spring Drying and Storage Critical
As temperatures rise and solar heat warms bins, the temperature of stored sunflower increases as well. Here are some tips to keep stored sunflower from getting too warm: 
  • Run aeration fans periodically to keep the temperatures at a proper level.
  • Monitor stored sunflowers closely to detect any storage problems early.
  • Check the moisture content of stored sunflower to determine if it needs to be dried. Oil sunflowers need to be dried to 8 percent for summer storage to prevent spoilage.
For more on drying and storing, click here.
Upcoming Events
March 23, 2016 -- NSA High Plains Meeting, Goodland, KS
May 29-June 3, 2016 – 19th Annual International Sunflower Conference, Edirne, Turkey
June 28-30, 2016 – 2016 NSA Summer Seminar, Bismarck, ND
Markets
We are still in the price discovery process for 2016 crop insurance price elections. Currently, oil type sunflowers are at $17.00 and confections are $26.80 per cwt, both are higher than last year at this same time. In 2015, oil types were at $16.90 and confections were $26.50 per cwt. Current prices for the major commodities have decreased from last year at this same time with corn at $3.88 versus $4.16 in 2015, soybeans are at $8.87 versus $9.67 and spring wheat comes in at $5.14 compared $5.88 per bushel last year. To follow sunflower price election trends watch the 2016 CBoT December soyoil contract through February 29. Final price elections will be announced in early March. Traders continue to focus on South America crop prospects. Recent weather events have done nothing to change thoughts that South America will harvest a big oilseed crop. This week USDA will host its annual Agricultural Outlook Forum. Traders will pay close attention to USDA’s expectations for 2016 planted acres, supply & demand outlooks along with ending stocks figures. This will give the market some numbers to crunch ahead of the March reports.
Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, February 22, 2016 ($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2016 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 31.14 31.61 31.49 -.12 32.21
Fargo, ND NuSun 19.05 16.65 16.45 -.20 16.90
Enderlin, ND NuSun 18.95 16.70 16.60 -.10 16.85
Goodland, KS NuSun 19.20 16.50 16.45 -.05 16.55
Goodland, KS High Oleic 22.20 17.40 17.35 -.05 18.45
Prices recorded here are believed to be reliable at the time of posting. All prices are subject to change.
Contact these facilities for complete market details.
U.S. Crude Oil Values
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. locations)
  Last Year Last Week This Week Change
Soybean Oil 30.64 29.61 29.24 -.37
Cotton Oil (psby) 46.14 46.61 46.48 -.13
Corn Oil 37.00 42.00 42.00 NC
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