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Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Aug 06 2018

Crop Progress

Sunflowers are blooming across much of North Dakota, a bit ahead of schedule even. North Dakota reports 81 percent of the state's sunflowers are blooming, that's ahead of 64 percent at this time last year and the average of just 50 percent blooming by now.

Crop Progress - Monday, August 6, 2018  State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average North Dakota         Blooming 81 54 64 50 Texas         Harvested 48 46 18 12

Crop Conditions - Monday, August 6, 2018 State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent North Dakota 1 2 17 74 6 Minnesota 0 0 26 55 19 Colorado 3 4 18 65 10

Start Scouting for Banded Sunflower Moth and Red Sunflower Weevil

As sunflower fields begin to bloom, adults of red sunflower seed weevil (RSSW) will be emerging and will fly to the nearest flowering sunflowers. RSSW are small (2.5 to 3.1 mm long) with a snout and are reddish-orange. Banded sunflower moth can be identified by their small size (1/4- inch-long) and forewings with a triangular, dark brown band across the middle of the wing. Once the decision to treat has been made, it is critical to time the spray application correctly to get effective management of all sunflower head insects including RSSW, BSM, sunflower moth, and Lygus bug. The best sunflower plant stage to treat is when the majority of plants are in the R5.1 growth stage. Click here to read more about scouting for insects and the best treatments. Click here to see the insecticides registered in sunflower.

Examine Crop for Rust

Rust is most often found on the lower under-side of leaves. The pustules are cinnamon-red and readily recognizable. Yield loss can occur and control measures should be considered when rust reaches approximately 1% severity on the upper four leaves and the plant is in the vegetative stages until it reaches the R6 stage. An infestation on the upper leaves at R6 or later will not likely have a negative yield affect. Fortunately, rust can be managed with well-times fungicide applications. Click here to learn more about rust.

Grower Report

Lemmon, South Dakota area producer Lance Hourigan says the sunflowers in his area are the best they’ve been in the past several years, but he says sunflower weevils are a big issue in his fields. Hourigan is spraying his 2,000 acres of high oleic sunflowers for the bugs now. He says some ‘flowers are in full bloom and others are just starting to bloom. But he says for as good as the sunflowers look, they could use a little more rain

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Upcoming Events

August 9, 2018- NSA High Plains Meeting, Goodland KS January 9-10, 2019 -- NSA Research Forum, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND

Markets

The ongoing trade fight with China continues to be the main concern in the market. Last month the Trump administration instructed trade representatives to find another $200 billion in goods on which the U.S. could impose a 10% tariff. Last week it was reported that the administration is considering raising that levy to 25%. In response the Chinese government announced it was going to add tariffs to an additional $60 billion of US products shipped to China. China has also been devaluing its currency to make its products more attractive to overseas buyers. The Chinese yuan made new one-year lows and is stirring more alarm among the trade that a currency war may be the next component in the dispute with the US over trade. This type of back and forth news has kept CBoT traders on edge for the past two months and created a very volatile market each day depending on the headlines reported that morning. Sunflower prices at the crush plants were down 25 cents to unchanged this week. Birdfood prices were unchanged. In most areas the crop continues to develop ahead of the five-year average pace. In states reporting crop conditions, the crop is being rated at 76 to 89 percent good to excellent condition. The next big market news will be the USDA August US and World Supply and Demand report along with weekly crop progress and weather conditions.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, August 6, 2018 ($/CWT)   Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2018 NEW Crop Chicago Oil Nearby 33.51 28.31 28.29 -.02 28.80 Fargo, ND NuSun 17.50 17.65 17.55 -.10 17.40 Fargo, ND High Oleic 17.70 17.65 17.40 -.25 17.40 Enderlin, ND NuSun 17.55 17.55 17.45 -.10 17.30 Enderlin, ND High Oleic NQ 17.55 17.45 -.10 17.30 Goodland, KS NuSun 15.25 16.35 16.35 NC 17.05 Goodland, KS High Oleic 16.50 17.35 17.35 NC 18.20 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, August 6, 2018 (dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)   Last Year Last Week This Week Change Soybean Oil 32.08 26.56 26.54 -.02 Cotton Oil (psby) 35.19 27.56 27.29 -.27 Corn Oil 41.50 32.00 32.00 NC