Search

Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Aug 19 2024

Crop Progress - Monday, August 19, 2024 State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average North Dakota         Blooming 79 53 89 89 Petals Dry 1 -- 9 14 South Dakota         Blooming 83 55 80 -- Texas         Harvested 54 45 48 44

Crop Conditions - Monday, August 19, 2024 State Timeframe Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent North Dakota This week 0 3 27 67 3   Last week 0 1 28 68 3 Minnesota This week 0 1 27 58 14   Last week 0 1 25 56 18 Colorado This week 14 23 27 29 7   Last week 24 26 17 29 4 South Dakota This week 0 6 25 64 5   Last week 0 24 20 73 3

Mathew, Markell, and Harveson receive USDA-AFRI funding

Febina Mathew, Sam Markell, and Bob Harveson have received a $300,000 grant from the USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Critical Agriculture Research and Extension (CARE) program. AFRI is widely regarded as the most prestigious competitive grants program for promoting plant health in the United States. In 2022, they identified strains of Diaporthe helianthi, one of the primary fungi responsible for Phomopsis stem canker, that are completely resistant to QoI fungicides. Fungicide resistance in fungal pathogens poses a significant challenge for farmers as it undermines the efficacy of fungicides in protecting yield. Their USDA-funded research aims to determine the prevalence of fungicide-resistant strains in Diaporthe/Phomopsis species and develop strategies to educate farmers on managing fungicide resistance.

Markets

Nearby sunflower prices were unchanged to up 25 cents this week at the crush plants. New crop prices were unchanged. USDA published their first look at farmer surveyed yields in the August WASDE report. To be sure, those yield estimates will change in the coming months, especially as harvest activity ramps up. However, the market is finally moving into the point of the year when they can start to nail down new crop supply estimates with a little more certainty than what has been floating in the markets up until this point. USDA raised its outlook on 2024 soybean production by 154 million bushels to nearly reach 4.6 billion, due to higher area and yield. The agency's estimates for harvested area increased 1 million acres from July to 86.3 million acres. USDA's yield estimates improved 1.2 bushels per acre from last month, climbing to 53.2 bpa. USDA shocked traders with its 2024/25 ending stocks figure as it jumped 125 million bushels higher from July to 560 million. If realized, this would be the highest stocks level in six years. In the initial USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reported acres figures, oil-type sunflower planted acreage was pegged at 592,700 acres with confection acres at 121,100. FSA will update the acreage report in mid-September. USDA will provide their initial yield and production estimates for 2024 oil-type and confection sunflower crops in October. Near term, USDA crop progress reports and weather conditions will guide the market.

NSA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Anyone requesting special accommodation should notify NSA within a reasonable timeframe. NSA will accommodate reasonable requests.