Research is an important part of the NSA’s mission. Each year, the NSA provides grants to public researchers to stimulate new or additional work that may result in lower production costs, increased quality, and higher yields. Pre-proposals for projects to be considered for funding in 2026 are now being accepted. 2026 NSA Research Priorities to read more and to submit pre-proposals. Grant applications are due by September 30, 2025.

ADM Enderlin, Cargill West Fargo and Colorado Mills crush plants are offering 2026 new crop cash and Act of God (AOG) High Oleic contracts. ADM is at $23.00 cash and $22.50 AOG. Cargill is at $22.90 cash and $22.40 AOG. Colorado Mills is at $23.00 AOG. Something else to consider is the oil premiums that crush plants pay on sunflowers. Sunflower is the only oilseed that pays premiums for oil content above 40%. Considering oil premiums that are offered at the crush plants on oil content above 40% at a rate of 2% price premium for each 1% of oil above 40%; this pushes a contract with 45% oil content gross return 10% higher per cwt. The AOG $22.40-$22.50 contract increases to a range of $24.65-$24.75, and the cash $22.90-$23.00 contract moves up to $25.20-$25.30. USDA recently revised its global sunflower production forecast for MY 2025/26 to 55.3 million metric tons (MMT). Ukraine’s sunflower crop is forecast at 12.7 MMT, down 0.8 MMT from last month’s forecast due to dry weather. Similarly, the dry weather in the Balkans impacted the production estimate for the European Union, which is reduced to 8.9 MMT, down 0.7 MMT from last month’s forecast. Trading in the week ahead will focus on the USDA Grain Stocks report that will be released next week. Traders are expecting sunflower seed stocks to be down from a year ago and the five-year average after last year’s smaller crop.

As harvest approaches, take time to make sure your bins are ready. Bins with perforated floors work better for drying sunflower than those with ducts. Aeration is essential, especially in larger bins. Aeration may be accomplished with floor mounted ducts or portable aerators. Aeration fans should deliver 1/10 to 1 cfm per cwt of sunflower. If aeration is not available, sunflower should be rotated between bins to avoid hot spots developing in the stored grain. For more on harvest and storage, visit www.sunflowernsa.com/growers/HarvestingStorage/

Now is a good time to remove blackbird roosting locations, such as cattails. Cattails serve as blackbird habitat, so it is in the sunflower producer’s best interest to get rid of as much as possible. The USDA can help with blackbird control. Visit: BlackbirdDamageManagementMap2025.pdf  for a map with phone numbers for USDA Wildlife Services personnel that can help North and South Dakota producers who have blackbird problems. They will respond to you during the damage season by providing loaner cannons and pyrotechnics. These offices will provide further assistance in an attempt to break up large roosts. Using a combination of cattail management, cannons, harassment, desiccants, and repellants can be even more effective when used together. For more information on blackbird control, visit Blackbirds (sunflowernsa.com)

January 7-8, 2026 - NSA Research Forum; Holiday Inn; Fargo, ND

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

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