Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Apr 30 2018

Work Safely Around Grain

People who work with grain—loading it, unloading it, and moving it from bin to bin—need to know about the hazards of flowing grain and how to prevent a grain entrapment situation. People can become caught or trapped in grain in three different ways: the collapse of bridged grain, the collapse of a vertical wall of grain, and entrapment in flowing grain. Moving or flowing grain is involved in all three. Here are some general safety precautions:

Don’t let children work or play in an area where there is flowing grain.
All workers involved in a situation where there is flowing grain should be warned to stay out of the grain.
Warning decals should be placed at all bin entrances, on all rail cars, truck and trailer boxes used for grain hauling, and on all gravity discharge wagons.
Never enter a grain bin without stopping the auger first and using “lock-out/tag-out” procedures to secure it.
Never enter a grain bin alone; have at least two people at the bin to assist in case problems arise. Use a safety harness or safety line when entering the bin.
Install a permanent life-line hanging from the center of the bin for a person to grab on to.
Control the access to grain storage facilities to prevent grain entrapments.

For more information, check out the NDSU publication “Caught in the Grain.” It’s available online here.

Hellmann’s Using Sun Oil in Mayonnaise

Add this to your grocery list: Hellmann's Sunflower Oil Mayonnaise Dressing. The mayonnaise combines the irresistible creamy, rich taste you love with a blend of quality oils (sunflower, canola, and soy). It is high in Omega-3 ALA and Vitamin E, with 30% less fat and calories than Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise and is also gluten-free and certified kosher.

Registration is now open for our 2018 NSA Summer Seminar, scheduled for June 26-28, 2018. This year’s Summer Seminar will be held at the Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Minnesota. Click here to register on our website at . You’ll find our tentative schedule there too, as well as hotel information and more. A block of rooms has been reserved there for June 25-28. There’s a link on our website, under “Hotel Information” to make your reservation. The room block will be released May 25, 2018 but may fill up much faster so don’t wait! The program is being finalized now and more information will be coming soon. Check the NSA website for further updates. Contact Tina Mittelsteadt at tinam@sunflowernsa.com with any questions.

Would you like to get a link to a digital copy of Sunflower Highlights every week in your email? It’s easy! Click here to sign up. You can also sign up for a digital copy of our magazine, The Sunflower, there. And click here for updated sunflower prices at various locations.

Upcoming Events

June 26-28, 2018 – NSA Summer Seminar, Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria, MN
January 9-10, 2019 – NSA Research Forum, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND

Markets

New crop sunflower prices continue to trend higher than old crop with the industry looking to increase 2018 acres over last year’s reduced level. Currently, new crop NuSun prices are 50-85 cents with high oleic new crop prices 50 cents to $1.00 per cwt. higher than nearby old crop prices. Last year at this same time new crop NuSun prices were in a range of $14.70-$16.60 with high oleics at $16.70-$17.00. Looking at current new crop prices this represents an increase of $2.00-$2.90 for NuSun prices and $1.70-$1.90 for high oleics versus last year. The increase in prices has made sunflower an attractive crop to add into the crop mix for 2018 and diversify some market risk. Based on historical usage an increase in acres of 15-20 percent in 2018 can be added given current demand without impacting present prices to a great degree. This week a delegation of leading US officials will be in China trying to negotiate a resolution to the ongoing US/China trade spat. Some are saying both sides are open to negotiations and comprise. Others are saying the tariffs might just get triggered in May as the two nations are still too far apart. Until this is resolved one-way or another it will May make traders nervous and keep the markets on edge. The USDA report could be key to prices with its first US 2018/19 supply and demand outlook.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, April 30, 2018 ($/CWT)

	Deliver	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change	2018 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil	Nearby	31.89	31.40	30.35	-1.05	31.45
Fargo, ND	NuSun	14.90	17.85	17.85	NC	18.70
Fargo, ND	High Oleic	NQ	17.75	17.75	NC	18.70
Enderlin, ND	NuSun	15.05	17.70	17.80	+.10	18.60
Enderlin, ND	High Oleic	NQ	17.70	17.80	+.10	18.80
Goodland, KS	NuSun	13.85	17.00	17.10	+.10	17.60
Goodland, KS	High Oleic	15.50	18.00	18.10	+.10	18.60

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, April 30, 2018
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)

	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change
Soybean Oil	29.39	29.24	28.55	-.69
Cotton Oil (psby)	38.16	29.04	28.35	-.69
Corn Oil	43.50	32.00	32.00	NC