Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Sep 06 2016
Crop Progress
Harvest continues in Texas, where 25 percent of that state's sunflower crop is reported harvested. In the Dakotas and Kansas, sunflower fields are slowly maturing; 6 percent of North Dakota's sunflower crop is reported mature. The majority of crop conditions in all reporting states are good to excellent; Colorado reports 71 percent of the sunflower crop is in good to excellent condition.
Crop Progress - Tuesday, September 6, 2016
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Petals Dry 78 66 76 57
Bracts Yellow 52 30 27 19
Mature 6 3 4 ---
South Dakota        
Blooming 81 79 99 99
Petals Dry 34 13 48 48
Bracts Yellow 8 --- 3 16
Texas        
Harvested 25 22 39 37
Kansas        
Blooming 95 89 92 92
Petals Dry 28 15 33 42
Crop Conditions - Tuesday, September 6, 2016
State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota 1 5 23 65 6
South Dakota 2 6 38 52 2
Minnesota 2 3 37 50 8
Colorado 0 3 26 64 7
Kansas 0 2 28 63 7
Cofco Takes Ownership of Nidera
China’s state-owned grain trading company, Cofco Corporation, says it will take full ownership of Netherlands-based grain trader Nidera. Cofco says it has reached a definitive agreement to buy the 49 percent of Nidera it didn’t already own from a company controlled by the family that founded Nidera. Nidera posted its first loss in five years last year after a rogue trader incurred losses of around $200 million in the biofuels market.
Draper Named Head of KSU Plant Pathology
A former Extension plant pathologist at North Dakota and South Dakota State Universities has been named the new head of the Kansas State University Department of Plant Pathology. Marty Draper has been with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture in Washington, D.C. since 2006. Before USDA, Draper worked for 25 years in North Dakota and South Dakota. He earned his master’s and Ph.D. in plant pathology from North Dakota State University.
Benefits of Desiccation
Now is a great time to start thinking about desiccating your sunflower crop. Getting the crop harvested several weeks early can result in higher yields and lower drying costs. Late season crop damage and blackbird damage can be reduced and desiccation may also slow down head diseases such as Sclerotinia. Early dry down can also minimize artificial drying costs. September and the first half of October harvest can often allow the use of air- drying to lower seed moisture in storage. Click here for more about desiccation.
USDA Provides Help with Blackbirds
As sunflowers ripen, blackbirds are beginning to appear and cause problems. The USDA can help; click here for a map with phone numbers for USDA Wildlife Services personnel that can help North Dakota producers that have blackbird problems. They will respond to you during the damage season by providing loaner cannons and pyrotechnics. These offices will provide further assistance in an attempt to break up large roosts. Some other ways to reduce damage include cattail management, cannons, harassment, desiccants, and repellants. These can be even more effective when used in combination.
Upcoming Events
November 29-30, 2016 - Ag Horizons, Pierre, SD
January 11-12, 2017 – NSA Research Forum, Fargo, ND
June 27-29, 2017 – NSA Summer Seminar, Rapid City, SD
Markets
The 2016 soybean crop keeps getting bigger and this has weighed on the CBoT soy complex. USDA raised their weekly US soybean crop ratings last week and this triggered fund selling as traders took off any remaining weather premium. USDA rated the crop 73 percent good to excellent versus 63 percent last year at this time. This increased talk that the final US soybean yield could be as high as 50 bushels per acre. Private trade estimates released last week are backing this up and are all close to that amount. Traders are concerned that the 2016 soybean crop could be getting bigger and this could add to carryout despite estimates of record demand. USDA will release their next crop estimate on September 12. Nearby sunflower prices have backed off somewhat as farmers have been active sellers on the recent rally in seed prices at the crush plants. Downward CBoT soyoil prices pressured by a reduction in palm oil prices added resistance to sunflower prices. Despite last week’s price setback, sunflower prices continue to trade higher than the 60 day moving average at the crush plants. Without a change in the weather in the week ahead, the USDA September crop report and actual yields from this year's harvest will be the main market factors for traders.
Weekly Prices Recorded on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 ($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2016 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 26.85 32.81 32.76 -.05 33.13
Fargo, ND NuSun 16.75 18.30 17.85 -.45 17.85
Enderlin, ND NuSun NQ 18.50 18.05 -.45 18.05
Goodland, KS NuSun 16.70 16.90 17.05 +.15 17.15
Goodland, KS High Oleic 18.70 17.90 18.05 +.15 18.90
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 Tuesday, September 6, 2016
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)
  Last Year Last Week This Week Change
Soybean Oil 36.10 31.06 31.11 +.05
Cotton Oil (psby) 43.85 42.81 42.86 +.05
Corn Oil 44.50 46.00 46.00 NC
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