Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Sep 30 2019
Crop Progress
Sunflower harvest is underway in Texas, Colorado and Kansas. Colorado's harvest is just getting started, with just one percent of the crop reported harvested. But it's looking to be a good crop; 75 percent of the crop is rated in good to excellent condition in Colorado.
Crop Progress - Monday, September 30, 2019
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Petals Dry 95 88 100 100
Bracts Yellow 74 66 94 87
Mature 36 20 72 60
Kansas        
Harvested 3 1 5 2
Colorado        
Harvested 1 NA NA 2
Texas        
Harvested 69 66 67 63
Crop Conditions - Monday, September 30, 2019
State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota 1 3 22 68 6
Colorado 0 0 25 59 16
Minnesota 1 1 24 65 9
Grower Report
Sunflower harvest is underway in Kansas, and Lindsborg, KS producer Karl Esping is patiently waiting for his double-cropped sunflower to be ready to harvest. Esping says his flowers are turning yellow and leaves are beginning to drop; he anticipates harvest will begin in about three weeks. He says his 400 acres of double-cropped oil sunflowers are in excellent condition. Esping says excess moisture in May and June provided lots of good subsoil moisture for his sunflower crop. 
Reduce the Risk of Combine Fires
Sunflower is an oil-based crop, and fine fibers from sunflower seeds pose a constant fire hazard. To help reduce the risk this harvest season, be sure to keep a clean work area when harvesting sunflower. Blow the combine and grain dryer setup with an air hose daily. Also, try nighttime harvesting, when humidity levels are higher and keep a small pressure sprayer filled with water on hand in the combine. For more tips, click here.
Are Your Bins Ready?
As harvest approaches, take time to make sure your bins are ready. Bins with perforated floors work better for drying sunflower than those with ducts. Aeration is essential, especially in larger bins. Aeration may be accomplished with floor mounted ducts or portable aerators. Aeration fans should deliver 1/10 to 1 cfm per cwt of sunflower. If aeration is not available, sunflower should be rotated between bins to avoid hot spots developing in the stored grain. For more on harvest and storage, click here.
Deadline Approaching for Research Grant Applications
Research is an important part of the NSA’s mission. Each year, the NSA provides grants to public researchers to stimulate new or additional work that may result in lower production costs, increased quality and higher yields. Pre-proposals for projects to be considered for funding in 2020 are now being accepted. To read more and to submit pre-proposals, click here. Grant applications are due by October 8, 2019.
Upcoming Events
December 10-11, 2019 – Ag Horizons, Pierre, SD 
December 12, 2019 – High Plains Committee Meeting, Goodland, KS
January 8-9, 2020 – NSA Research Forum, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND 
June 23-25, 2020 – NSA Summer Seminar, Spearfish, SD
Markets
2020 new crop sunflower prices are out at the ADM Enderlin crush plant with cash and Act of God (AOG) contracts available. NuSun is at $17.70 cash and $17.20 AOG. High oleic prices are $18.00 cash with $17.50 AOG. Something else to consider is the oil premiums that crush plants pay on sunflower. Sunflower is the only oilseed that pays premiums for oil content above 40%. Considering oil premiums that are offered at the crush plants on oil content above 40% at a rate of 2% price premium for each 1% of oil above 40%; this pushes a contract with 45% oil content gross return 10% higher per cwt. The AOG $17.50 contract increases to $19.25 and the cash $18.00 contract moves up to $19.80. Nearby prices at the crush plants ended the week mixed at down 10 cents to up 10 cents. Nearby seed prices continue to trade above the 60-day moving average at the crush plants, and new crop prices remain at market highs set in early September. In states reporting crop conditions, the crop is being rated at 74 to 75 percent good to excellent condition. Sunflower crop development continues to remain behind the five-year average normal pace in most areas. A light frost is in the forecast for the Northern Plains states however it should not affect the sunflower crop to a get degree. Trading in the week ahead will focus on the USDA Grain Stocks report that will be released today. Traders are expecting sunflower stocks to be down from a year ago.
Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, September 30, 2019 ($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2019 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 29.01 29.19 28.99 -.20 30.61
Fargo, ND NuSun 17.25 18.50 18.60 +.10 NQ
Fargo, ND High Oleic 17.25 18.80 18.90 +.10 NQ
Enderlin, ND NuSun 17.10 18.40 18.30 -.10 17.70
Enderlin, ND High Oleic 17.35 18.70 18.70 NC 18.00
Goodland, KS NuSun 16.85 16.75 16.85 +.10 NQ
Goodland, KS High Oleic 18.00 18.00 18.10 +.10 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, September 30, 2019
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)
  Last Year Last Week This Week Change
Soybean Oil 28.51 28.69 28.49 -.20
Cotton Oil (psby) 28.31 38.19 37.99 -.20
Corn Oil 30.00 29.00 30.00 +1.00
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