Nearby prices are up 55 to 65 cents with new crop unchanged to up 25 cents at the ND crush plants. Traders are continuing to get into position for USDA’s August crop reports. August 12th will be a huge day for commodity markets as USDA will release its latest supply and demand reports. It is also anticipated that the first report of USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) certified acres will be released as well. The FSA figures will be compared to the USDA June acreage report and will give the market a better idea of what got planted this year. The U.S. sunflower market continues to experience mixed conditions as producers monitor weather, crop development, and global vegetable oil demand. Favorable growing conditions across much of the Northern Plains have supported generally good crop prospects, although localized areas continue to experience moisture stress. Sunflowers are mostly in the late bud stage or blooming in the Dakotas and Minnesota. The crop could use a good drink during this important development phase as some areas of the region have had below normal moisture this growing season. As the crop moves through key reproductive stages, weather during the next several weeks will play a critical role in determining final yields and seed quality. Looking ahead, attention will focus on August weather, USDA crop condition reports, and harvest expectations. Producers are encouraged to monitor marketing opportunities as market volatility may increase with changing weather forecasts and updated production estimates.