Do you have the handy NDSU Extension Sunflower Production Guide in your glovebox? This NDSU publication has long been called the ‘sunflower bible’ since it was first published in 1975. The 178-page publication is full of four-color pictures of the major insects and diseases for ease in identification.  The guide is directed primarily toward sunflower production in the Northern Great Plains of the United States; however, it is relevant to other production areas.  The publication can be viewed on our website. Click here to view. NSA will provide one complimentary copy to sunflower growers.  To obtain your complimentary copy email: info@sunflowernsa.com.  Please include your name and complete mailing address.  The Sunflower Production Guide is also available for sale from the NSA’s online catalog for $15 including shipping. Click here to order

If you missed the ‘2026 Getting-it-Right in Sunflower Production,’ video conference you can access it on-line. Topics covered ranged from hybrid data, soil considerations and plant nutrition, updates for blackbird, weed, disease and insect management, and a market update. The program was conducted by North Dakota State University Extension. Recording and resources are available at https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/getting-it-right, scroll to the conference video section and click the sunflower meeting link. Each individual talk has its own video clip. Additional publications and resources are available under the sunflower conference resources.

Nearby sunflower prices at the crush plants were down 10 cents to unchanged this week. 2026 new crop contracts were unchanged. The crop insurance price discovery process continues for 2026 crop insurance price elections. Oil type sunflowers are $29.00, and confections are $37.10 per cwt. Oils are up 30 cents with confections up 40 cents from last week. To follow sunflower price election trends, watch the 2026 CBoT December soyoil contract through February 27. Final price elections will be announced in early March. Traders are anxiously awaiting USDA’s release of its Prospective Plantings Report on March 31. According to a recent CoBank report, soybeans are currently expected to increase their share of planted acres in 2026 while planted acreage of corn, and spring wheat are expected to decline compared to last year. CoBank’s analysis indicates U.S. soybean acreage will increase 5.9% over last year to reach 86 million acres. Total U.S. corn acreage was projected at 94 million, down 4.8% from last year. Spring wheat acres are expected to fall 1% to 9.89 million acres due to profit potential compared to corn. Most market watchers expect sunflower acres to increase in 2026 given the pace of planting seed sales and current demand. The first estimate of 2026 sunflower acres will be in the USDA March Planting Intentions report.

As outdoor temperatures increase, stored grain requires attention to prevent losses. The stored grain temperature increases in the spring not only due to an increase in outdoor temperatures but also due to solar heat gain on the bin. Solar energy produces more than twice as much heat gain on the south wall of a bin in early spring as it does during the summer.  Here are some recommendations:

• Run aeration fans periodically to keep the grain temperature near or below 30 degrees until the grain is dried if it exceeds recommended storage moisture contents, and below 40 degrees as long as possible during spring and early summer if it is dry.
• Cover the fan when it is not operating to prevent warm air from blowing into the bin and heating the stored grain. Ventilate the top of the bin to remove the solar heat gain that warms the grain. Provide air inlets near the eaves and exhausts near the peak or use a roof exhaust fan.
• Bin vents can become blocked with frost and ice when the fan is operated at temperatures near or below freezing, which may lead to damage to the roof. Leave the fill and access door open as a pressure relief valve when operating the fan at temperatures near or below freezing.
• The natural air-drying for oil sunflowers requires an airflow rate of 0.75 cfm/bu for up to 15 percent moisture. The drying should start when outdoor temperatures average about 40 degrees. Visit Drying & Storing Sunflowers (sunflowernsa.com) for more tips.

June 23-25, 2026 - NSA Summer Seminar; Deadwood, SD

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