Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Feb 25 2019
USDA to Survey Farmers’ Planting Intentions for 2019
As the 2019 crop production season begins, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season. NASS will mail the survey questionnaire in February, asking producers to provide information about the types of crops they intend to plant in 2019, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amounts of grain and oilseed stored on their farms. NASS encourages producers to respond online or by mail. Those producers who do not respond by the deadline may be contacted for a telephone or personal interview. Survey results will be published in the Prospective Plantings and quarterly Grain Stocks report to be released on March 29, 2019. These and all NASS reports are available online. Click here to see the reports. 
 
NSA Scholarship Available
The National Sunflower Association is seeking applicants for the Curtis Stern Memorial Scholarship. In tribute to the dedicated work of Curtis Stern, an industry advocate and former NSA board member, the NSA Board of Directors established a memorial scholarship in his name. Funds assist students who study in the field of agriculture with a special emphasis on sunflower production, promotion, or research. Preference will be given to students who are in their last two years of undergraduate studies or in graduate level studies and have maintained at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0=A scale. Application deadline is April 1, 2019. A total of $3,500 is available for the scholarship this year. Applications can be submitted online. Click here to learn more. Contact Tina Mittelsteadt at tinam@sunflowernsa.com with any questions.
 
Sign Up for E-Publications
Would you like to get a link to a digital copy of Sunflower Highlights each week in your email? It’s easy! Click here to sign up. And for sunflower prices at various locations, click here
 
Markets
The USDA estimate for 2018 US sunflower production was released earlier this month. Minnesota had a great sunflower crop last year with some reported yields as high as 3,500 pounds per acre. So, it was no surprise that the Minnesota average oil-type yield per acre of 2,250 pounds increased 300 pounds from 2017 and was a record high. The non-oil yield was also a record high in Minnesota at 2,150 topping the previous record high by 200 pounds. Most fundamental news for oil has been negative lately putting CBoT soybean oil contracts on the defensive. The cold weather in the US this winter has driven crush demand for soybean meal and pressured CBoT soyoil contracts as oil stocks have started to build. Market analysts think this trend will reverse into the spring and summer months with oil prices strengthening as meal demand tapers off. Overall nearby sunflower prices have remained relatively firm and not followed the recent negative trend in oil values. A smaller 2018 US sunflower crop and good demand are supporting seed prices.There are only three days left in determining 2019 crop insurance spring prices. The price election for oil type sunflowers is expected to be around $16.70 with confections at $22.50 per cwt. Final price elections will be announced in early March. In the week ahead, US export demand news and South American weather will continue to be the main market movers.
return to top of page

   More about Sunflower ►