Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Jan 23 2017

Update from Sclerotinia Initiative Meeting

Reports from researchers at the annual meeting of the National Sclerotinia Initiative meeting held last week in Minneapolis indicate that positive progress is being made on this difficult disease. The disease affects most broadleaf crops and requires multiple genes for resistance. The greatest progress is being made with improved genetics. Resistant genes are being identified in a number of wild sunflower species. Transferring those genes to cultivated sunflower is the present task. The Initiative is federally funded and includes others crops such as soybean, canola, peas, lentils and edible beans. Researchers from 14 different states are involved in projects and there is a great deal of collaboration among universities and USDA-ARS researchers.

High Plains Winter Conferences Coming Up

Two long-running High Plains area conferences will be held in the next two weeks. No-Till on the Plains conference is this week, January 24-25, in Salina, KS. Click here for more information, go to . The Colorado Conservation Tillage Association’s High Plains No-Till Conference in Burlington, CO is January 31-February 1. For details or to register, click here. The NSA’s High Plains committee will be at both shows, and will give away one iPad per show, so if you attend, make sure you visit the High Plains booth.

Monitor Moisture of Binned Seeds

If you’ve got some of last year’s sunflower crop stored in bins, make sure you keep an eye on the seed’s moisture level. The maximum recommended moisture content for stored sunflower is 9.5% through the winter months and 8% if the storage period is longer than about six months. It’s also important to check the sunflower weekly and make sure you check the sunflower, not the bin. Check by getting into the storage each time and walk, feel, smell, and probe the seeds. Remember, walking around in filled bins can be dangerous, so take extra precautions. For more storage tips, click here.

Nominations Being Accepted for 2017 NSA Gold Award

Every year the NSA presents the Gold Award to an individual who has contributed extra-ordinarily to the overall sunflower industry, either through their occupation or through the National Sunflower Association. This award is considered to be the highest award that the NSA presents to individuals. The award has been given every year since 1989. Past Gold Award winners include John McLean, Larry Kleingartner, Duane Berglund, Senator Mark Andrews, and Chuck Moses. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2017 NSA Gold Award. Click here for the eligibility and criteria requirements. Nominations must be received by February 17. The NSA board of directors will review all submitted applications and chose a winner. The Gold Award will be presented during the NSA Summer Seminar, set for June 27-29 in Rapid City, SD.

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 on our website. You can also sign up for a digital copy of our magazine, The Sunflower, there. And for sunflower prices at various locations, click here.

Upcoming Events

January 24-25, 2017 – No-Till on the Plains, Salina, KS
January 27-28, 2017 – Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference, Manhattan, KS
January 31-February 1, 2017 – CCTA Conference, Burlington, CO
June 27-29, 2017 – NSA Summer Seminar, Rapid City, SD

Markets

Traders are digesting the recently released 2016 US sunflower production figures. Overall they were within trade expectations. Total production was 2.65 billion pounds, down 9 percent from 2015 but up 8 percent from the October forecast. US average yield per acre increased 106 pounds from last year to a record high 1,731 pounds. US production of oil-type sunflower varieties, at 2.37 billion pounds, decreased less than 1 percent from 2015. Production of non-oil sunflower varieties was estimated at 286 million pounds, a decrease of 47 percent from last year. The market now has a figure to work from when determining needs for 2017 acres. Some crushers and processors are out with 2017 oil-type and confection contracts. The remaining companies should be out with new crop prices soon now that the 2016 crop size is known. On the CBoT traders are monitoring U.S. export demand, South American weather, world farmer sales, and carryout levels. The dollar also remains a key force in the markets. The greenback got a boost from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, who said interest rate increases are appropriate due to tightening of the jobs market. Interest rates tend to be a key driver of currency values. CBoT traders fear that the strong dollar will begin to slow purchases by overseas buyers who’ve already purchased a lot of corn, soybeans and wheat from the US since the start of their respective marketing years.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, January 23, 2017 ($/CWT)

	Deliver	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change	2017 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil	Nearby	30.44	35.56	35.13	-.43	35.25
Fargo, ND	NuSun	16.55	14.70	14.70	NC	15.50
Enderlin, ND	NuSun	16.65	15.20	15.45	+.25	NQ
Goodland, KS	NuSun	16.30	14.45	14.45	NC	NQ
Goodland, KS	High Oleic	17.30	15.95	16.10	+.15	NQ

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, January 23, 2017
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)

	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change
Soybean Oil	28.69	33.56	33.13	-.43
Cotton Oil (psby)	45.44	43.56	43.13	-.43
Corn Oil	41.50	43.00	43.50	+.50