Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Mar 06 2017
Joe Caroline 2017 NSA Gold Award Winner
Joe Caroline has been named the 2017 NSA Gold Award winner. Caroline has worked in the sunflower industry for over 40 years. He began his career in the public sector as an agronomist with NDSU and was stationed at Carrington. Caroline also worked as a sunflower plant breeder with Sigco Research and was involved in developing the first high oleic sunflowers sold in the United States and Argentina. He went on to work as a product development agronomist with Dow AgroSciences, a position he held until his retirement in 2015. Caroline has been an active member of the NSA since its formation in 1981. The NSA Board of Directors selected Caroline for the award at their February meeting. They’ll present Caroline with the award at the summer seminar, which will be held in Rapid City, SD June 27-29, 2017.
North Dakota County Sunflower Election Results
North Dakota county sunflower representatives were elected in two of the state’s seven sunflower districts last month. All county reps are now eligible for the district election 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 the upcoming election in District 2:
 
The election will be held March 21 at the Eagles Club in Valley City at 12:30 pm. Ben Vig is the current rep.
  • Scott Tranby, Cooperstown (Griggs County)
  • Ben Vig, Sharon (Steele County)
  • Anthony Thilmony, Valley City (Barnes County)
Production Resource Books Available on NSA Website
Spring planting is just around the corner; find helpful information 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.
iPad Winners
Congratulations to the four lucky winners of the iPads given away at recent ag shows. The NSA’s High Plains committee gave away on iPad at four different ag shows. The winners are:
  • Barry Hittle (CCTA)
  • John Gordon (CCTA)
  • Mike Neff (Cover Your Acres)
  • Spencer Yenni (Young Farmers and Ranchers)
Thanks to everyone for stopping by the NSA’s High Plains Committee booth. We look forward to seeing you again next year!
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. Application deadline is April 1, 2017. $4,600 is available for the scholarship this year. Applications can be submitted on the ND Community Foundation website. Contact Tina Mittelsteadt at with any questions.
Upcoming Events
March 22, 2017 – NSA High Plains Committee Meeting, Goodland, KS
June 27-29, 2017 – NSA Summer Seminar, Rapid City, SD
January 10-11, 2018 – NSA Research Forum, Fargo, ND
Markets
2017 crop insurance prices have been announced. The price election for oil type sunflowers will be $18.20 with confections at $27.20 per cwt. This represents an increase of $1.30 for oil type and 50 cents for confections per cwt. versus 2016 price elections. This increased price protection will allow for greater coverage of production costs, crop damage due to natural disasters, or the loss of revenue due to a decline in price. Sunflower prices have followed the action on the CBoT. Old crop prices were up 5 to 50 cents this week with new crop adding 30 cents. CBoT traders were surprised by talk that the President could soon sign an executive order that could increase US corn ethanol use year-round and could curb biodiesel imports from Argentina. This news jolted soyoil higher on expectations of increased demand. The US dollar hit its highest level against a basket of foreign currencies since early January last week. A stronger dollar reduces purchasing power for overseas buyers, effectively making US agricultural products more expensive. In general, when the currency is stronger, commodity prices tend to get weaker. This week most of the focus for traders will be digesting USDA's supply and demand report figures and on what's happening in South America.
Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, March 6, 2017 ($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2017 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 30.95 32.35 34.02 +1.67 34.85
Fargo, ND NuSun 16.00 14.70 15.20 +.50 16.30
Enderlin, ND NuSun 16.10 15.30 15.35 +.05 16.60
Goodland, KS NuSun 16.15 14.00 14.25 +.25 NQ
Goodland, KS High Oleic 17.05 15.65 15.90 +.25 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, March 6, 2017
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)
  Last Year Last Week This Week Change
Soybean Oil 28.92 30.05 31.77 +1.72
Cotton Oil (psby) 46.17 40.25 42.27 +1.92
Corn Oil 44.50 43.00 43.00 NC
return to top of page

   More about Sunflower ►