Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Jul 14 2025
Crop Progress - Monday, July 14, 2025
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Blooming 6 2 2 2
South Dakota        
Emerged 98 88 96 --
Kansas        
Planted 96 94 95 94
Texas        
Harvested 12 9 12 14
Crop Conditions - Monday, July 14, 2025
State Timeframe Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota This week 0 2 25 65 8
  Last week 1 2 30 61 6
Minnesota This week 0 1 8 88 3
  Last week 1 2 15 80 2
Colorado This week 0 0 6 94 0
  Last week 0 0 10 85 5
South Dakota This week NA NA NA NA NA
  Last week NA NA NA NA NA
Scout for moths and red sunflower seed 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. It’s also time to scout for banded sunflower moth (BSM), Arthuri sunflower moth (ASM) and sunflower head moth (SHM). 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, ASM, SHM and Lygus bug. The best sunflower plant stage to treat is when most plants are in the R5.1 growth stage. Visit www.sunflowernsa.com/growers/Insects/ to read more about scouting for insects and the best treatments. To see the insecticides registered in sunflower, visit https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/north-dakota-field-crop-insect-management-guide
Markets
Old crop sunflower prices were down 25 cents to unchanged. New crop sunflower prices at the crush plants held firm after the release of the most recent USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report last week. USDA pegged soybean acres at 83.4 million in 2025, resulting in a 4.335- billion-bushel crop. Production is down 5 million bushels from last month's forecast. For the old-crop, 2024-25 season, USDA left ending stocks unchanged at 350 million bushels (mb) but adjusted usage. The forecast for 2025-26 soybean ending stocks increased by 15 mb to 310 mb, within the range of pre- report expectations. Globally, USDA sees higher ending stocks for 2025- 26 to 126.07 million metric tons (mmt), up 0.7 mmt from last month. USDA sees higher beginning stocks, production and crush than last month, while forecasting a decline in exports. Production in Brazil and Argentina were left unchanged at 175 mmt and 48.5 mmt, respectively. USDA left Brazil and Argentina's production for the 2024- 25 season unchanged at 169 mmt and 49 mmt, respectively. Overall, the trade viewed the USDA figures as neutral to the market. Currently weather conditions are mostly favorable for sunflower development in Colorado, the Dakotas and Minnesota. However, warmer than normal temperatures would be welcomed in the Dakotas and Minnesota to improve crop conditions as we enter the bloom stage of crop development. Mid- August through September is the critical time frame for sunflowers.
Grower Report
Onida, SD grower Chuck Todd says his sunflowers look good. They are at the 8-leaf stage and the stands are good. Weather has been very hot with several days in the 90’s. They are on the verge of a drought, but cooler temperatures and rain is forecasted for this week.
Consider cattail control
July to mid-August is a good time to remove blackbird roosting locations, such as marshes sloughs and cattails. Cattails serve as blackbird habitat, so it is in the sunflower producer’s best interest to cut them down or spray herbicides to get rid of them as much as possible. Visit https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/north-dakota-weed-control-guide for more information on using herbicides.
Have Seeds for Sale?
Do you still have seed in the bin from your 2024 crop or have non- contracted 2025 production to sell? If you are looking for buyers to sell your seeds too visit the NSA website to find oilseed crushers, confection seed processors and bird food buyers using these links:
Upcoming Events
August 7, 2025 - NSA High Plains Committee Meeting
January 7-8, 2026 - NSA Research Forum; Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND
Markets at a Glance
Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, July 14, 2025 ($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2025 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 46.42 54.07 54.71 +.64 54.16
West Fargo, ND High Oleic 17.25 28.50 28.25 -.25 21.75
Enderlin, ND High Oleic 16.90 28.40 28.40 NC 22.00
Lamar, CO High Oleic 17.50 28.00 28.00 NC NQ
U.S. CRUDE OIL VALUES recorded on Monday, July 14, 2025
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. locations)
  Last Year Last Week This Week Change
Soybean Oil 49.42 53.07 53.71 +.64
Cotton Oil (pbsy) 71.42 79.07 79.71 +.64
Corn Oil 52.00 56.00 56.00 NC

Prices recorded here are believed to be reliable at the time of posting. Individual companies have the right to correct any errors that may occur. Contact these facilities for complete market details.
 
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