Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Mar 07 2016
New Sunflower Fertilizer Recommendations
The last in-depth research for developing our current nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) recommendations for sunflower in the Northern Great Plains was completed in the late 1960s and 1970s. Over the past two years, NSA and SD Oilseed Council have funded research that provides new N and P recommendations based on general productivity history and not a yield prediction model. N and P recommendations are based on both documented yield responses to each and economic analysis. Use this link for the just released NDSU Fertilizing Sunflower Circular SF713 with the new recommendations.
RMA Announces 2016 Price Elections
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced 2016 crop insurance prices for sunflower last week. Oil-types have a spring price of $16.90 per hundredweight with confections at $26.70.  Producers have the option of choosing Yield Protection, Revenue Protection and Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion. All three policies have the same price election. Price elections for other commodities are corn $3.86, soybeans $8.85, and spring wheat $5.13 per bushel. Canola is $15.80 per hundredweight. When formulating your crop insurance plan for 2016, the best advice is to sit down with your local crop insurance agent so that you can put together the best risk management plan for your operation. Your crop insurance agent can help you manage your business risks through effective, market-based risk management solutions offered by RMA.
ND County Sunflower Election Results
North Dakota county sunflower representatives were elected in three of the state’s seven sunflower districts last month. All county reps are now eligible for district elections and to serve on the NSA’s Board of Directors for a three-year term. District sunflower elections will be held this month. Here are the representatives and information for upcoming elections:

District 1:
March 22, 11:30 am, Walsh County Extension Building, Park River, ND (Scott Nelson -  current representative)
  • Evan Montgomery, Manvel
  • Scott Nelson, Lakota
  • Paul Boesl, Langdon
District 6:
March 22, 11:30 am, NDSU Extension Office, Mountrail County, Stanley, ND (Jeff Oberholtzer - current representative)
  • Clay Erdman, Souris
  • Fredrick (Jim) Cart, Kenmare
  • Donald Paulson, Coleharbor
  • Jeff Oberholtzer, Mohall,
  • Joel Newman, Sawyer
  • Galen Keller, Karlsruhe
District 7:
March 23 at 11:30 am MT at the Elks Lodge, Dickinson, ND (Art Ridl is the current representative)
  • Glenn Seidler, New Leipzig
  • Steve Wegner, Reeder
  • Bill Kessel, Belfield
  • Josh Greff, Regent
  • Scott Lazorenko, Killdeer
  • Arthur Ridl, Dickinson
  • Miles Hansen, Bowman
  • Myles Richard, Bowman
  • Dean Knell, Hazen
Researchers to be Honored at International Sunflower Conference
Every four years, the International Sunflower Association (ISA) hands out the Pustovoit Award at the International Sunflower Conference. This award is the highest honor given to people who dedicate their lives to working with sunflower. This May, Argentinian researchers Amelia Bertero and Carlos Sala will receive the award. Bertero has been involved in sunflower breeding for 47 years, nearly 28 of them as part of the sunflower program at Nidera Baigorrita in Buenos Aires. Sala, who passed away in 2013, worked with sunflower for over 20 years. The Pustovoit Award is given every four years, in conjunction with the Sunflower International Conference, which will be held May 29-June 3, 2015 in Edirne, Turkey.
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 on our website: www.sunflowernsa.com/growers. 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.
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
Crop budgets are still showing both confection and oil sunflowers among the top-earners in 2016. New crop sunflower prices are very competitive with other crops and processors are still offering 2016 new crop cash and Act of God (AOG) contracts for fall delivery. Weather continues to remain mostly favorable in Brazil and Argentina and estimates for both countries’ 2016 soybean crops are going higher. Harvest yields are being reported above early estimates. This is giving the market the idea that a big crop will only get bigger. If realized this could reduce US soybean export demand through July. USDA is currently surveying farmers for 2016 crop planting intentions. Traders are expecting slightly higher corn acres and slightly lower soybean acres versus last year. Oil sunflower acres should show an increase. Confection sunflower acres are expected to be lower than last year. If the March USDA planting intentions report shows higher intended soybean acres for 2016 it could be negative to new crop soybean prices.  South American weather and crop production prospects will be the main focus of traders in the near term.
 
Weekly Prices
Recorded on Monday, March 7, 2016
($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2016 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 30.88 30.64 30.95 +.31 31.83
Fargo, ND NuSun 19.15 16.05 16.00 -.05 16.80
Enderlin, ND NuSun 19.15 16.15 16.10 -.05 16.85
Goodland, KS NuSun 19.20 16.10 16.15 +.05 16.25
Goodland, KS High Oleic 22.20 17.00 17.05 +.05 18.15
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 30.25 28.39 28.92 +.53
Cotton Oil (psby) 46.00 45.07 46.17 +.30
Corn Oil 38.50 44.50 44.50 NC
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