Production

The production of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) for cooking oil, confectionary and birdseed has increased throughout the United States. The 2008 sunflower crop totaled 3.4 billion pounds, up 19 percent from 2007, and was valued at over $669 million. Average yield also increased to 1,429 pounds per acre. Sunflowers are primarily grown in North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota and Colorado.  August 2009 ... Sunflowers


Marketing

• National Sunflower Association - This nonprofit commodity organization for sunflower growers conducts promotion activities, supports production research and disseminates production and marketing information.
• Oil Crops Outlook, Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA, 2009.
• Oil Crops Yearbook, ERS, USDA, 2008 - Examines supply, use, prices and trade for oil crops, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries.
• Sunflower Marketing in the High Plains, Kansas State University Research and Extension, 1997 - This publication addresses basic issues related to sunflower marketing in the High Plains, including Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska. Information is presented about deliverable sunflower grade and quality specifications and the types of sunflower marketing alternatives available to central Great Plains producers. Sunflower market information sources and the development of sunflower marketing plans are also discussed.
• Sunflowerseed and Products World Supply and Distribution, Foreign Ag Service (FAS), USDA, 2008.

Processing/Manufacturing

• Drying and Storing Sunflowers, Kansas State University, 1987.
• Sumseeds - This South Dakota-based company is taking seeds grown in North Dakota and Kansas and adding caffeine, taurine, lysine and ginseng to them.

Production

• Alternative Ag Ventures - Sunflowers, Center for Innovative Food Technology, Ohio.
• Confectionary Sunflower Cost-return Budget, Kansas State University Research and Extension, 2007.
• Crop Production Annual Summary, National Ag Statistical Service (NASS), USDA, 2009.
• Crop Values Annual Summary, NASS, USDA, 2009.
• High Plains Sunflower Production Handbook, Kansas State University Research and Extension, 1999 - Agronomic practices, disease control and management, pest identification, harvesting and marketing of sunflower crops.
• Oil-type Sunflower Cost-return Budget, Kansas State University Research and Extension, 2007.
• Sunflower, Alberta Agriculture and Food, Canada, 2007.
• Sunflower, Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, Columbia, Missouri.
• Sunflower, Interactive European Network for Industrial Crops and their Applications, 2003.
• Sunflowers, The New American Farmer, SARE, USDA - Describes two sunflower-growing operations in the United States.
• Sunflower, The National Non-Food Crops Centre, York, U.K.
• Sunflower: A Native Oilseed with Growing Markets, Jefferson Institute, revised 2002.
• Sunflower Production, Chapter 10: Alternative Crops, Ohio Agronomy Guide, 14th Edition, Ohio State University Extension, 2005.
• Sunflower Production and Management, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Management.
• The Sunflower Production Guide, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, revised 2006.
• Sunflowers, Floridata, updated 2004.
• Sunflowers-Growing sunshine, Colorado State University Extension, updated 2007.

Links checked May 2009.