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Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Aug 07 2017

Crop Progress

Minnesota's sunflower crop is reported 90% good to excellent. And sunflowers in Colorado look good too, with 63% reported in good to excellent condition. Meanwhile, Texas reports 20% of the sunflower crop there has been harvested.

Crop Progress - Monday, August 7, 2017 State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average North Dakota         Blooming 69 15 80 58 South Dakota         Blooming 38 5 53 41 Kansas         Blooming 37 14 56 41 Texas         Harvested 20 5 7 10

Crop Conditions - Monday, August 7, 2017 State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent North Dakota 18 25 34 22 1 South Dakota 10 27 53 10 0 Minnesota 0 0 10 74 16 Colorado 0 3 34 59 4 Kansas 0 3 35 60 2

Keep Scouting for Insects

Producers should continue to scout for red sunflower seed weevils, and banded sunflower moth in sunflowers until fields reach the R5.7 crop stage (70% of the head area has completed or is flowering). Field reports indicate that populations of red sunflower seed weevil are high, average of 20-30 weevils per head in the southwest and south central parts of North Dakota. This is way above the economic threshold levels of 5-6 weevils per head for oilseed sunflowers and only 1 weevil per head for confection sunflowers. For the latest information visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/cpr for the ND Crop & Pest Report.

Grower Report

It’s been dry month in central Kansas. Karl Esping, who farms near Lindsborg, KS, says the last measurable rain came on June 20. Still, he says his full season high oleic sunflower crop looks good. They’re in the bud stage now and he expects they’ll start blooming in the next 10 days. He says his double crop sunflowers, planted around July 1, could really use some rain.

Examine Crop for Rust

Rust is most often found on the lower under-side of leaves. The pustules are cinnamon-red and readily recognizable. Yield loss can occur and control measures should be considered when rust reaches approximately 1% severity on the upper four leaves and the plant is in the vegetative stages until it reaches the R6 stage. An infestation on the upper leaves at R6 or later will not likely have a negative yield affect. Fortunately, rust can be managed with well-times fungicide applications. To learn more about rust, click here.

Dr. Mike Foley Retires

Dr. Mike Foley, Research Leader with the Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit in Fargo, North Dakota, retired on July 31 after 21 years of Federal service. Mike was appointed Research Leader of the Plant Science Research Unit in 1998, which was later renamed Weed Biology Research Unit.  In 2011, the Sunflower and Weed Biology units were merged forming Sunflower and Plant Biology. In his role, he has led a group of scientists in finding ways to improve weed and crop management in several crops, including sunflower. The National Sunflower Association was one of many groups Mike worked with through his positions. Dr. James Anderson has been named Acting Research Leader of the Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit (SPBRU) in Fargo.

Upcoming Events

August 16, 2017 – NSA High Plains Meeting, Goodland KS January 10-11, 2018 – NSA Research Forum, Fargo, ND June 26-28, 2018 – NSA Summer Seminar, Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria, MN

Markets

Sunflower prices gave back some of the gains from the past two weeks last week. Birdfood prices dropped back into a $18-$20 range after seeing prices as high as $22 per cwt. CBoT soyoil lost 100 points last week on spec selling amid talk that China may retaliate against buying US soybeans if the US imposes trade sanctions based on perceived unfair trade practices by China. Most feel China cannot go without US soybeans but the headlines triggered selling on the CBoT. This led to some price pressure at the sunflower crush plants which ended the week mixed at down 15 cents to unchanged. Beneficial rain was received in some of the most drought stricken areas of the Dakotas last week. This could help yield prospects for this year’s sunflower crop depending on crop conditions. However, most areas still remain in severe to exceptional drought conditions as of the latest Drought Monitor report. This will continue to create stress for this year’s crop. On Thursday, USDA will release their first official estimate of US 2017 corn and soybean production. Also on that day they will revise their US and World supply and demand. Most private crop estimates are below the latest USDA figures. This report should set the market tone in the weeks ahead as August is the most critical month for oilseed yield development.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, August 7, 2017 ($/CWT)   Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2017 NEW Crop Chicago Oil Nearby 30.93 34.71 33.51 -1.20 33.93 Fargo, ND NuSun 17.30 17.50 17.50 ---- 16.60 Enderlin, ND NuSun 17.50 17.70 17.55 -.15 16.70 Goodland, KS NuSun 16.70 NQ 15.25 ---- 17.00 Goodland, KS High Oleic 17.70 NQ 16.50 ---- 18.00 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 recorded on Monday, August 7, 2017 (dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)   Last Year Last Week This Week Change Soybean Oil 28.68 33.21 32.08 -1.13 Cotton Oil (psby) 46.01 36.21 35.19 -1.02 Corn Oil 45.75 41.50 41.50 NC