The Sunflower Magazine-January 2013

Publisher — National Sunflower Association Editor — John Sandbakken NSA Communications Director — Sonia Mullally Contributing Writer/Editor — Don Lilleboe Advertising Manager — Lerrene Kroh

The Sunflower is published six times per year by the National Sunflower Association, a farmer and industry organization working to improve the profitability of sunflower for all sectors. Farmer checkoff commissions/ councils in N.D., S.D., Minn., Kan., and Colo., make up NSA’s basic funding and governing structure. Assessments on volume in the oilseed and confection processing industries and the hybrid seed sector are key funding components, with other funding from grants, including USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Offices for The Sunflower are located at NSA headquarters, 2401 46th Ave. S.E., Ste. 206, Mandan, ND 58554. NSA & magazine phone number is (701) 328-5100; toll free (888) 718-7033.

U.S. farmers raising 10 or more acres of sunflower, extension agents, and public researchers can receive The Sunflower at no charge. Others may subscribe at these rates: North American residents, US $15.00 for one year or US $40.00 for three years; overseas air mail, US $50.00 per year.

Information in The Sunflower does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the National Sunflower Association. Nor does advertising in The Sunflower imply endorsement by the publisher. NSA is an equal opportunity provider and employer without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability.

IN THIS ISSUE

Vol. 39 No. 1

January 2013

Page 22 Page 14

— FEATURES — New NSA Officer Slate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Minnesotan Kevin Capistran elected president

Volatility Continues; USDA Report & South American Weather Key January Factors . . . . . 8 Market bulls and bears both make their case

2012 NSA Crop Survey Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Annual survey gauges productivity, yield-limiting factors

Current NSA officers and directors are: Chairman Tom Young, Onida, S.D. President Kevin Capistran, Crookston, Minn.

First Vice President Art Ridl, Dickinson, N.D. Second Vice President Karl Esping, Lindsborg, Kan. Secretary/Treasurer Tyler Schultz, West Fargo, N.D. Directors Steve Arnhalt, Breckenridge, Minn.

Brad Bonhorst, Fort Pierre, S.D. Guy Christensen, Enderlin, N.D. Clark Coleman, Bismarck, N.D. Kent McKay, Carpio, N.D. Jeff Oberholtzer, Mohall, N.D. Don Schommer, Munich, N.D. Ron Seidel, Meadow, S.D. John Swanson, Mentor, Minn.

Ben Vig, Sharon, N.D. Arnold Woodbury, Wyndmere, N.D. Leon Zimbelman, Keenesburg, Colo.

Executive Director John Sandbakken, Mandan, N.D.

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

Variable-Rate Seeding Shines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 For N.D. grower with highly variable soil types, terrain

Options Growing With Short-Stature Hybrids . . . . . . . . 18 Seed companies developing more varieties for northern areas

Giving Sunflower the Care It Is Due . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 S.W. Kansas confection grower doesn’t cut corners

New Products Drive the Spanish Snacks Market . . . . . 26 Third in a series on NSA foreign market development

Kettle Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Sun oil has been a key ingredient for Oregon potato chip pioneer

Sunflower Briefs

..............................4

30 Years Ago in The Sunflower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 COVER — Photo: Don Lilleboe 3

Sunflower Briefs

Syngenta Acquires Sunfield Seeds

Syngenta and BASF recently announced a partnership in sunflower technology. BASF will license its newly released Clearfield Plus herbicide tolerance technology to Syngenta. The Clearfield Plus Production System for sunflower was developed using traditional plant breeding to offer improved weed control.

Both Syngenta and Mycogen Seeds have partnered with BASF to make the technology available to growers for the 2013 season.

Sciences at North Dakota State University and will work in the USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit in Fargo.

Wang finished her master’s degree in fruit tree biology research from Nanjing Agricultural University in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. She received her Ph.D from North Dakota State University with a major in woody plant biology and molecular research. For her dissertation, Wang developed new SSRs from chokecherry genomic sequences, constructed the first genetic linkage map for this native woody plant in North America, and identified a major QTL associated with X-disease resistance, which belongs to phytoplasma pathogen and also Hongxia Wang infects other stone fruits. She has extensive research experience in plant tissue culture, transformation and mutation.

Doubled-haploid technology allows developing experimental lines much faster than using traditional breeding methods. The doubled-haploid lines will also accelerate the mapping progress of important agronomic trait genes.

Wang joins a doubled-haploid development team comprised of Drs. C.C. Jan, Lili Qi, and Brent Hulke of the USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, and Dr. Richard Horsley of the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences. Funding for the project was provided by a consortium of NSA member hybrid seed companies.

RMA Expands Crop Insurance Coverage

Sandbakken Re-Elected to Ag Export Council

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has expanded crop insurance coverage for oil and nonoil sunflower. Crop insurance now will be available to sunflower producers in Park and Big Horn counties in Wyoming, as well as Ellis, Hill and Navarro counties in Texas, in 2013. Producers will have the option to choose between Revenue Protection, Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion or Yield Protection policies.

John Sandbakken, NSA executive director, was recently reelected to the executive committee of the U.S. Agriculture Export Development Council (USAEDC). The USAEDC is comprised of 80 U.S. agricultural commodity trade associations, farmer cooperatives and state regional trade groups from around the country.

The council represents the interests of growers and food processors. Its mission is to present a unified message of the importance of promoting foreign market demand for U.S. agricultural products. The council John Sandbakken works in conjunction with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and the private sector in this mission.

Syngenta has purchased Sunfield Seeds, a provider of sunflower seed production and processing services for more than 30 countries. The motivation for the move was to further Syngenta’s position in the sunflower supply chain and access to top locations for hybrid seed production. Sunfield Seeds is located in the central valley of California, an area ideal for hybrid seed production.

In a press release announcing the purchase in late November, Davor Pisk, Syngenta chief operating officer, said, “Sunfield is already one of our strategic suppliers, and we are pleased that its people and operations will now become part of Syngenta. Sunfield’s grower network in the key Sacramento Valley region, as well as its modern processing facilities and experienced management team, will complement our product range and global market strength. Above all, the acquisition will enhance our ability to meet growing demand for our high-quality sunflower seeds.”

Syngenta did not disclose financial details of the purchase.

Partnership to License Clearfield Plus

®

Nidera S.A. Joins Sunflower SNP Consortium The NSA Sunflower SNP Consortium recently welcomed a new member. Nidera S.A. of Argentina joined the established group of seed companies pooling resources to advance the technology to identify molecular marker tools. Application of this technology will give plant breeders new tools to develop hybrids resistant to such perennial diseases as rust, downy mildew and Sclerotinia more quickly and with much greater precision than what is possible using traditional plant breeding methods. This technology can also be used to capture specific oil traits, insect resistance and yield enhancing traits.

In addition to cooperation with NSA and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), consortium members include NSA of Canada, Mycogen Seeds, CHS Sunflower, Genosys LLC, Seeds 2000/NuFlowers, Advanta Semillas, Argensun and MayAgro Seed Corp. Progress made to date includes a complete mapping of all SNPs and a standard 384 marker panel currently being used in genotyping projects.

Postdoc Joins Doubled-Haploid Research Project Dr. Hongxia Wang has been selected as a postdoctoral research associate on the project developing a doubled-haploid system for sunflower. She will be an employee of the Department of Plant

4

NSA Gold Award Nominations Sought The National Sunflower Association is accepting nominations for the 2013 NSA Gold Award. This award is presented to individuals who have contributed extraordinarily to the overall sunflower industry, either through their occupation or through the National Sunflower Association. Persons having received the award can be found on the NSA website. Past winners have come from a wide array of backgrounds, including farming, industry, research, extension and politics. This is the highest award that the NSA presents to individuals.

The closing date for letters of nomination for the 2013 award is February 15, 2013. The letter should state the person’s contributions to the overall industry and provide specific examples. More than one letter per nomination is desirable. Letters of nomination should be sent to: The President, National Sunflower Association, 2401 46th Ave. S.E., Suite 206, Mandan ND 58554-4829.

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

Sclerotinia Initiative Meets in Late January The 11th annual National Sclerotinia Initiative will be held January 23-25 at the Holiday Inn Select, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. The Sclerotinia Initiative is a USDA-ARSfunded program dedicated to research solutions to Sclerotinia in sunflower, canola, peas and lentils, edible beans and soybeans.

This multi-crop and multi-state approach has brought together a dedicated group of researchers who have made good progress over the life of the Initiative. Projects are being conducted in numerous locations, with a strong emphasis on genetic resistance.

The meeting is open to all persons interested in this disease, including seed and crop protection companies. For details, go to: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=22847

The combination of grower and industry checkoff dollars, the Sclerotinia Research Initiative, universities and a strong commitment from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service have all placed sunflower research as a high priority.

The Forum is open to all who are interested in sunflower production. It is not restricted to researchers only. Certified crop advisors are offered a reduced rate and can obtain education credits. â– For more information, go to www.sunflowernsa.com.

2013 Sunflower Research Forum Is Jan. 9-10 The 35th annual National Sunflower Association Research Forum will be held at the Ramada Plaza Suites & Convention Center, Fargo, N.D., on January 9 and 10. This meeting brings together public and private researchers, as well as growers and industry representatives for updates on research advances and challenges.

Help Save A Tree We strive to make our mailing list as efficient as possible.

If you are (1) receiving duplicate copies of The Sunflower, (2) need to update your mailing address or (3) no longer wish to receive this magazine . . . PLEASE CONTACT US!

Toll-Free: 888-718-7033, Ext. 5 Email: lkroh@sunflowernsa.com

A Head Above the Rest Traditional and XL Confection Sunflower Organic Sunflower ConOil and Large Oil Sunflower Freight Incentives and On-Farm Assistance ND, SD, MN and KS Delivery Locations

www.sunopta.com/foods

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

Breckenridge, MN Jim Smith 800.654.4145

Crookston, MN Tim Petry or Bill Sullivan 800.837.5984

Goodland, KS Mike Bretz 800.742.9259

Grace City, ND Kent Johnson 877.674.3179

5

New NSA Officer Slate Minnesotan Kevin Capistran Elected President

S

unflower sometimes seems like the best kept secret, and the newly elected president of the National Sunflower Association, Kevin Capistran, would like to change that.

The NSA Board of Directors recently met in Bismarck to set the coming year’s budget and elect officers. Capistran, a farmer from Crookston, Minn., was chosen to serve as president for 2012/13. He takes over from South Dakota farmer Tom Young, who had served as the association’s president for the past two years. Capistran had previously served as NSA’s first vice president.

Capistran, who joined the NSA board three years ago, moved quickly into the executive ranks looking to make an impact.

At his first meeting in 2010, he took part in the association’s vote to designate $100,000 toward what is called the SNP project, giving sunflower breeders the funding and tools they need to develop

gene sequencing and DNA markers to find solutions to disease and insects as well as increase yield potential.

“Through the SNP Consortium, we have the ability to Kevin Capistran equip sunflower breeders with the latest genetic tools,” he says. “It is an ongoing investment that we expect to bring results that growers will see.”

With that vote and commitment to further development, Capistran is confident the industry and the association are on the right track. “It may take a little longer to get there using traditional methods of breeding versus GMO crops, but it’s obvious that our current hybrids have come a long ways,” he says. Sunflower has been a part of the Capistran operation since the

late 1970s, but the family farms in an area (northwestern Minnesota) where there currently aren’t as many acres devoted to the crop as there used to be.

“We have to find ways to stay competitive with other crops other than just looking for higher prices, so yield has to be the number one priority,” Capistran says. “The challenge is that different areas of the country have different limiting factors. We need to find the right solutions for the right areas. Where I farm, controlling diseases is the key. Other areas that don’t have much disease concern may be battling blackbirds or insects, though.”

In the near future, Capistran sees sunflower production expanding to new areas such as Wyoming and Montana, with the need for the association to spur that growth. Another top agenda item is to communicate with the customer to make sure sunflower isn’t the best-kept secret.

“We need to be receptive to what consumers want, but at the same time make sure they hear our message about sunflower and get the right information. Our association needs to make sure we’re continually promoting our products.”

The NSA board of directors also voted to advance Dickinson, N.D., farmer Art Ridl to the position of first vice president.

Ridl likewise serves as chairman of the North Dakota Oilseeds Council. Elected second vice president was Lindsborg, Kan., farmer Karl Esping, a member of the NSA board since 2010. Tyler Schultz of Cargill, Inc., West Fargo, N.D., was elected secretary-treasurer.

The National Sunflower Association is a farmer and industry organization working to improve the profitability of sunflower for all sectors. Contributions by the High Plains Committee, private seed companies, state checkoff councils/commissions and state ag research funds are part of the overall sunflower research picture. The board of directors is comprised of farmers and industry members representing the major U.S. sunflower production regions. NSA offices are located at Art Ridl Mandan, N.D. ■

Karl Esping

6

Tyler Schultz

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

T

arkets Volatility Continues; USDA Report & South American Weather Key January Factors

By Mike Krueger

T

here has been no easing of the extreme volatility in the markets. This has been especially true in the oilseeds markets. The same market factors are in place that have been affecting markets for many months, and they are, in many ways, conflicting: • Old-crop supplies of oilseeds and feed grains are extremely tight.

• Old-crop demand for oilseeds, for both domestic crush and exports, is very strong.

• The world is expecting/hoping for record soybean crops in Argentina and Brazil. It has been far too wet in Argentina, but weather has been mostly normal in Brazil.

• World sunflower supplies will be the tightest in years because of smaller production in Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the EU and Argentina.

• World feed grains supplies, especially corn, are the tightest ever.

• World wheat supplies are adequate, but supplies among the major wheat exporting countries continue to shrink.

• The U.S. “fiscal cliff” is keeping investment managers cautious.

• Analysts are already projecting more acres and trend line yields for the 2013 crops. If realized, that will be bearish.

T

he December USDA reports did not change the soybean export forecast, but did increase the crush estimate by 10 million bushels. As a result, soybean ending supplies dropped from 140 million bushels to 130 million bushels. The trade was expecting an increase in the soybean export forecast because the export sales pace has been amazing. We had sold 80% of the USDA’s export forecast in the first 14 weeks of this marketing year. In addition to strong sales, we have been loading those sales at an extremely fast pace.

China, of course, remains the elephant in the soybean room. Its economy has been showing signs of improved growth in recent months, and many economic forecasters are raising China’s 2013 GDP. South America is basically out of the world soybean market until their 2013 crop becomes available.

U.S. soybean oil export sales have been surprisingly large in recent weeks, and this has forced the USDA to make a significant change in their soybean oil export forecast for the current marketing year. In the December report, they raised that forecast from 1,200 million pounds to 1,800 million pounds. That is a very significant increase and will result in U.S. soybean oil ending supplies dropping 40% from last year.

here continues to be a raging argument among the bulls and the bears in these markets. The bulls point to great oilseed export demand amid tight supplies and soaring cash basis levels as reasons for soybean and other oilseed prices to stage a significant rally in the first quarter of 2013. The bears say the odds for a record South American soybean crop are still very high and that South American soybeans will quickly replace U.S. soybeans as soon as the harvest gets underway. This will become a weather story. If weather stays very good in January and February, soybean and oilseed prices will come under more pressure. Weather, however, has not been perfect, especially in Argentina. It won’t stop raining there, and that has caused some significant planting delays and may result in fewer planted acres than expected.

There is a similar bull/bear case in the corn/feed grains markets. Bears argue there is no corn demand and that U.S. corn ending supplies can triple in the next marketing year if trend line corn yields are achieved.

Bulls say the 2012 corn crop was overstated and that feed demand is understated.

The U.S. hard red winter wheat crop is off to an awful start because of the ongoing and very severe drought. Some crops people now believe that crop could be as much as 30% smaller than last year even if weather improves next spring. There are also some concerns with winter wheat production in the Black Sea region and the EU. Argentina’s wheat crop was small and has major quality problems because of the excessive rain during the harvest period.

I

t all will likely boil down to these two key factors: • The January USDA quarterly stocks and final corn and soybean production estimates. If these numbers are smaller than expected, it will provide a bullish boost to prices. If these numbers are larger than expected, it will be bearish.

• South American weather through February will be crucial to attaining the big production estimates. Any serious threat to soybean yields in Brazil or Argentina will be very bullish.

Certainly, Northern Hemisphere spring and summer weather will be very important because U.S. and world supplies are so tight. But that is a very long time from now in market terms.

■

Mike Krueger is owner of The Money Farm, a Casselton, N.D.-based grain marketing consulting firm. While the information in this article is believed to be reliable, marketing involves risk, and the author and The Sunflower assume no responsibility for its use.

8

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

A

Technology in your seed.速

company.

Photo: Hans Kandel

2012 NSA Crop Survey Report

By Hans Kandel*

E

very autumn for the last 11 years (with the exception of 2004), the National Sunflower Association has conducted in-depth surveys in producers’ fields throughout the main sunflower growing regions of the United States as well as Manitoba, Canada.

During the fall of 2012, 27 trained teams including agronomists, entomologists, pathologists, crop consultants and/or producers randomly stopped at 211 sunflower production fields, which represent approximately one field for every 10,000-15,000 acres in sunflower-

Table 1. Fields Surveyed Per State, 2012 % Oil & Confection, Average Yield, Average Plant Population State North Dakota Minnesota South Dakota Manitoba Nebraska Vermont Colorado Texas Kansas Total 10

Number of Oil Sunflower Confections Fields (% of fields) (% of fields) 99 10 54 11 4 15 7 8 5 211

84 50 81 18 50 100 71 37 60 76

15 50 19 82 50 0 29 63 40 24

Av. Yield Av. Population (Lbs/Ac)

(Plants/Ac)

1,776 2,275 1,655 1,336 1,357 1,296 998 1,625 1,698 1,670

17,923 20,299 15,649 12,865 10,370 19,864 11,954 14,500 10,730 16,687

producing counties. Each team evaluated plant stand, yield potential, disease, insect and weed control for each field. In addition, a seed sample was taken to observe insect damage in the laboratory.

The teams determined the most-limiting and second most-limiting yield factors for each field. They also assessed bird damage and agronomic practices used in the field.

A yield estimate was calculated based on plant stand, head size, seed size, seeds per head and percent loss due to bird feeding. As shown in Table 1, the 2012 average surveyed sunflower yield was 1,670 lbs/ac, with an average per-acre plant population of 16,687. The corresponding numbers in the 2011 crop survey, which encompassed 155 fields, were 1,642 and 15,766, respectively.

Determination of yield-limiting factors was based on the surveyors’ judgment after considering all production aspects in the field. Table 2 lists the most-limiting and second most-limiting factors for survey years 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The limiting factors may be different in the various states. For instance, drought may have been less severe in North Dakota, Manitoba and Minnesota compared with southern states, whereas Dectes long-horned beetle damage was mostly concentrated in the southern sunflower production regions.

Overall, the most limiting factor in 2012 was drought, followed by plant spacing within the row, weed competition, plant disease and bird damage. The plant spacing difficulties consist of either a skip within the row or areas where plants grow too close together, causing one of the plants not to contribute to the sunflower yield. Equal distribution of plants is essential to obtaining the maximum yield.

Irregular plant spacing within a row has consistently ranked as either the top or second limiting factor since the first survey was conducted in 2002.

Irregular plant spacing in the row may have been caused by poor seeding conditions, failure to adjust the planter, driving too fast, poor germination, disease, insect damage or other factors. The average yield of 28 fields with plant distribution issues was 1,678 lbs/ac, compared with 21 fields with no stand problem or other problems yielding 2,158 lbs. Producers should pay attention to their management and refine their technique while seeding sunflower. Planter calibration may be the * Hans Kandel, extension agronomist with North Dakota State University, coordinates the annual sunflower crop survey.

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

first step to reducing skips and get better plant spacing within the row.

In 2012, no limiting factor could be determined in 13% of the fields; and in 34% of the fields, “no problem” was reported for the second limiting factor. The “no problem” category indicates that the evaluators felt the field reached its maximum yield potential for the 2012 growing season. During the last three seasons, surveyors did not find a second most yield limiting factor in about 30% of the fields.

T

he diseases of most concern in sunflower are rust, Sclerotinia and Phomopsis. In 2012, sunflower leaf rust incidence (percent of fields in which rust was found) was higher in Kansas, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota compared with 2011. Sclerotinia head rot in fields with the disease was up in North Dakota and Manitoba, while head rot was absent in Minnesota, South Dakota and the High Plains states. (See graph on page 12.) Phomopsis severity was less in 2012 compared with 2011. (See second graph on page 12.).

Dectes long-horned beetle was found in 60, 57, 57, 38 and 29% of the fields in Kansas, Colorado, South Dakota, Texas

Table 2. Yield-Limiting Factors, 2010, 2011 & 2012 Surveys* (% of Surveyed Fields) Limiting Factor

— 2010 — 1st 2nd

— 2011 — 1st 2nd

— 2012 — 1st 2nd

In-Row Plant Spacing Disease Lodging Birds Drought Weeds Insects Uneven Plant Growth Drown Out Hail Other No Problem

18 21 9 7 5 10 6 N.A. 3 1 9 12

18 15 10 8 8 8 5 3 0 3 6 14

18 7 3 7 29 8 6 5 3 0 1 13

15 8 5 5 2 11 10 N.A. 3 1 5 35

17 10 8 3 3 10 4 1 0 0 14 30

14 7 2 5 7 11 7 7 5 0 1 34

* Based on 207 fields in 2010, 155 fields in 2011 and 211 fields in 2012.

and North Dakota, respectively. The percentage of plants with Dectes increased this year in Colorado and North Dakota.

The highest percent severity of longhorned beetle (plants with the insect in those fields with Dectes present) was

found in Colorado, followed by South Dakota and North Dakota.

Seed weevil damage was found in 50% of the samples submitted from Nebraska and South Dakota. Of all the samples evaluated, 20% had damaged seeds © Archer Daniels Midland Company

Manage Risk Manage Rotation Manage Returns

With NuSun® and ADM Call ADM in Enderlin at 800-553-6032, or in Goodland at 800-542-7333.

www.adm.com

800-553-6032

info@adm.com

NuSun® is a registered trademark of the National Sunflower Association.

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

11

$ $

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$ $

$ $

$

$

$

$

$

Sclerotinia Rot Severity, 2008-2012 $ $ $ $ Head $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Irregular plant spacing within a row has consistently ranked as either the top or second limiting factor since the first survey was conducted in 2002.

$

$

$

$

$

$

$ $ $

$

$

$

$ $

$

$

$ $

$

$

$$ $ $$ $$ $ $ 2009-2012 $$ $$$ $ $ $ $ Severity, $$ Phomopsis $

$ $

$

$

$

$

$ $

$

$

$

$

$ $

$

$

$

$

$

$

— and of those samples with damage, the average number of seeds with seed weevil activity was 2.8%.

Bird damage was reported in 61% of the surveyed fields in North Dakota, 50% in Minnesota, 40% in Vermont, 36% in Manitoba, 25% in Nebraska and 22% in South Dakota. The average damage over all the surveyed fields was 2.7% $ Broadleaf weeds continue to be more $ of a problem than most grassy weed $ $ species. Palmer amaranth is a major $ $ $ $ problem weed in Kansas and was $ recorded as being present in 100% of the surveyed fields. In Texas, 88% of the fields contained Palmer amaranth. In fields where surveyors mentioned weeds as the most-limiting factor, the average yield was 1,551 lbs/ac, which is about 70% of the yield in those fields where no yield-limiting factor was reported.

The data generated by this national sunflower crop survey can be used by producers to make better management decisions. The information is also providing trends over time, and survey data will be used to help define research priorities in improving sunflower crop production and the bottom line for producers.

Summaries of each crop survey since 2002 can be found on the NSA website. $ Go to www.sunflowernsa.com/growers/ yield-and-survey/.

■ $

$

$

$

$

Grow Your Money With Help From

$ $

$ $

$

$ $

$

$

$ $

$

$

$ $

$

$

$

$

$

$

FREE 30-Day Trial!

Send e-mail request to mike@themoneyfarm.com

— A Full-Service Commodity Broker — 1630 1st Ave. S. Casselton, ND 58012 www.themoneyfarm.com 12

Contact Mike Krueger TODAY!

Phone: 877-877-7810 or 701-347-5985 Fax: 701-347-4385 E-Mail: mike@themoneyfarm.com THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

Looking for a more complete approach to sunflowers?

Here’s an idea.

From seeds to seedcare to crop protection and more, nobody has as many ways to help you grow sunflowers as Syngenta. For ideas to help your business grow, call your Syngenta retailer or dealer today.

For all your seed needs, contact your Garst® or Golden Harvest® dealer or NK® retailer. ©2012 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow all bag tag and label instructions before buying or using Syngenta products. The instructions contain important conditions of sale, including limitations of warranty and remedy. All crop protection products and seed treatments may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your state or local extension service before buying or using Syngenta products. Garst®, Golden Harvest®, NK®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Syngenta Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368). www.FarmAssist.com 18DC2006-P1 3/12

Variable-Rate Seeding Shines

Photo: Don Lilleboe

For N.D. Grower Meilon Hildebrant on His Rolling Terrain & Diverse Soils

S

ometimes, less is more. That’s one very low-tech way to describe the results of Meilon Hildebrant’s experimentation with variable-rate seeding of sunflower over the past three years. But there’s a healthy component of truth in this very simplified summary.

Hildebrant, who lives at Beach, N.D., just a stone’s throw from the North Dakota/Montana border, farms on both sides of the state line. It’s a very arid environment, averaging just 11-12 inches of annual rainfall. While 2011 was an above-average year for moisture in the area, 2012 was just the opposite. Hildebrant has been a 100% no-till producer since 1988 due to the need to retain and utilize his limited moisture as efficiently as possible.

He also farms ground with extreme variability in topography and soil type.

“We get sand and silt loam hilltops, we get eroded clay knobs, and we get some heav-

14

ier clam loams on the bottom ground. The variability is massive,” he affirms.

That sort of variability obviously does not lend itself to a “one size fits all” approach to crop fertility and plant populations. While he’s always known that, the point was brought home forcefully several years ago when Hildebrant was running behind with his row-crop planting one spring and opted to use his air drill to solid seed a sunflower field. The result was, in his words, “a train wreck,” as the hilltops

‘Using the VR seeding with the moisture stress issues we experienced this season was extremely beneficial.’

could not support the higher population and ended up being covered by small, spindly plants. Double-seeded sunflower headlands produced similar results.

While recognizing the problem, for years “it was like ‘how do we remedy this’,” other than by cutting populations across the field, Hildebrant recalls. Then — in concert with his crop consultant, Jeran Honeyman — he decided to travel the variable-rate seeding route.

Honeyman already had worked with Hildebrant for several years as they laid the groundwork for a transition to variable-rate application of fertilizer. The extreme variability in his terrain and soils made Hildebrant an excellent candidate for the technology. “Water is king in this area, and topography determines where the water will go,” Honeyman points out. “Where you have water, you have the best yields in his environment, assuming all other needs are met for optimum crop production. His soils are so diverse and variability extremely high, [which is why] VR technology works in his operation.”

Hildebrant has yield maps for his fields dating back almost a decade, along with five to eight years of satellite imagery for a given field. Also, Honeyman now has mapped 95% of Hildebrant’s acreage with a Veris EC cart. (The Veris cart measures the degree of electrical current that soils can conduct, providing an effective way to gauge soil texture variability within the crop root zone.) He likewise utilizes aerial images generated by the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP).

All these data, properly analyzed and interpreted, have provided prescription fertilization and seeding rate formulas for a minimum of five zones within each quarter section. They establish a target yield for the medium zone, and this zone is fertilized and seeded at “standard recommended rates.” For the other zones, they typically then adjust inputs by 10% increments.

When planting sunflower, for example, the seed drop may be 24,000 or more in the lower, higher-potential elevations — but then drop down to 17,000 or even less when seeding eroded clay knobs.

H

ow has it worked out? Results to date have been very encouraging. While Hildebrant’s promising 2010 crop was lost due to early winter snows, in 2011, a year of above-normal moisture, his sunflower crop yielded between 1,800 to 2,200 lbs/ac — several hundred pounds above his historical norm. The biggest impact from variable-rate seeding occurred in one field that contained a very large hill. In the past, that hilltop usually produced no more than 500-600 lbs/ac; in 2011, it averaged around 1,200 lbs. In the bottom ground areas, with their good moisture and higher populations,

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

yields ran 2,300 to 2,400 lbs/ac, with the yield monitor occasionally registering 3,000.

Hildebrant’s sunflower results in the exceptionally dry 2012 season were impressive as well — especially given the minimal rainfall available to the crop. The overall farm average (still being measured as of this writing) was expected to end up in the 1,750- to 1,900-lb range, with his top field yielding considerably more. However, he adds, one important factor was that some of his 2012 ’flowers went in on prevent plant ground with abnormally good moisture carrying over from 2011.

Still, in the end, did using variable-rate seeding in an abnormally dry year — for what is normally an arid environment — underscore its value? Yes indeed, Hildebrant affirms. “Using the VR seeding with the moisture stress issues we experienced this season was, I believe, extremely beneficial,” he states, “not only to maintain a degree of consistency in yield; but also, the overall plant health, resulting in less variability in test weights and seed quality.

“On what we consider our more-marginal soils, the stress was extreme in 2012.

Had we overpopulated those areas, I believe it would have resulted in extremely high-stressed plants and severely impacted the integrity of the crop.”

could back off on populations more than we are accustomed to seeing.”

A key ingredient in this venture, Honeyman adds, has been Hildebrant’s “willingness to try new things and not be afraid to fail. He sees where agriculture is going, and instead of playing catch-up, he is taking the lead. He also has the ability and ambition to understand computers and the technology needed to make the systems work — and he is willing to spend the

Setting the Standard for Sunflowers Innovative producer marketing programs World’s largest confection sunflower processor Our exclusive contracting program is designed with your success in mind.

H

ildebrant says a corollary benefit to his variable-rate seeding program has been more-uniform plant drydown across the field. “Before, the hilltops — which were overpopulated — produced plants that had small stalks and heads, dried down quickly and were brittle fire hazards,” he says. “Then, in the bottoms, we’d have larger stalks and heads. Those yields were much better; but they’d still be at 19 or 20% moisture when the hilltops were at 7%. Now, the drydown and harvest moistures are much more uniform.”

“By backing the populations off in the lower-productivity soils, we maintain head size and yield without wasting expensive seed,” Jeran Honeyman adds. “I also believe that since stalk strength is improved, lodging will be less of a concern.”

While thus far they have been using a standard scale for determining seeding rates across all of Hildebrant’s sunflower fields, Honeyman expects they’ll be able to fine-tune the system on a field-by-field basis in coming years. “Not every field is as productive as the next on his farm, so I think we can use multiple years of yield data to determine the productivity of each field,” the Bismarck-based crop consultant states. “[Then we can] set higher yield goals for some fields and push populations higher in some of his best ground. And maybe, on some fields that just don’t seem to have those higher-producing soils, we

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

extra money to be sure he has good equipment that is set up to do the variable-rate applications.”

For his part, Hildebrant says simply, “It’s not an entirely exact science yet, but it seems to be working. We just need to keep refining it.” He’s also starting to experiment with VR seeding of wheat. “Maybe the results won’t be as definitive as with sunflower,” he says, “but we believe it’s worth investigating.” — Don Lilleboe ■

CHS is a competitive buyer of large confection and oil sunflowers, as well as white proso millet and other small grains.

Contact us today.

701.484.5313 chssunflower.com

© 2009 CHS Inc

15

Options Growing With Short-Stature Hybrids Seed Companies Now Developing More Varieties for Planting in Northern Regions

Dow AgroSciences breeders are currently introgressing earlier-maturity, Clearfield®, Clearfield Plus®, downy mildew resistance and low saturated fat traits, as well as confection types, in their short-stature breeding populations.

What does this mean for the farmer? It means that the advantages offered with short ’flowers may soon be more readily available to growers in the Northern Plains states with new and improved traits. Most farmers are still going to select for yield and oil content; but when those parameters are comparable in a SS hybrid, it gives the grower a nice option.

Photo: Don Lilleboe

Some Background on Short-Stature Hybrids

F

or years, plot trials of short-stature (SS) sunflower have indicated good moisture efficiency, quicker canopy and better tolerance to stem insect damage. More recent data demonstrate that, in general, yields of SS sunflower are comparable to conventional height sunflowers.

Triumph Seeds, based in Texas, initially developed short-stature hybrids for use in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado where longer-season hybrids are used. Now that Dow AgroSciences is merging the development work between Mycogen Seeds and Triumph, more shortstature hybrids will be utilized in early maturing sunflower genetics.

Farmers in the High Plains have been growing SS hybrids for years with much success. Now that Mycogen Seeds will be developing some of the Triumph lines that have been popular in the south, might there

18

Above: East central Kansas grower Karl Esping prefers short-stature hybrids for three reasons: standability, field management options and ease of harvest.

be an opportunity for growers in the northern region to take advantage of the positive attributes that SS hybrids have to offer?

This question may be answered sooner rather than later, as SS yield trials will be planted in the Dakotas in 2013.

These trials will also begin to answer the key question of whether the yields are comparable in the northern growing conditions. Yield trials and university research projects conducted in the High Plain states of Kansas and Texas point toward yield parity of SS and conventional height ’flowers, and southern growers agree based on experience.

Certain seed companies currently offer new hybrids that they classify as “shortstature.” Some may not have been bred specifically as such, but are of shorter height than other hybrids. The very early SS hybrid releases (15-20 years ago) were very different than modern releases, which began in earnest about a dozen years ago.

Thanks to work by Triumph sunflower breeder Joseph Legako, the gene has been identified to enable existing germplasm to be converted to SS hybrids without impacting other characteristics. Modern SS hybrids carry beneficial attributes of disease resistance, high oil content and high yield.

This is critical because in early SS hybrids there were some issues with head size, yield and oil content that made them inferior to conventional height varieties.

First off, just how short is short? There is no industry standard for this criterion.

Early SS hybrids were very compact, with heights that were 36-42 inches tall under irrigation, whereas conventional height sunflower hybrids generally were about 24 inches taller — and sometimes more. By contrast, some of today’s SS hybrids are not that much shorter than many of the conventional height hybrids. It’s important to note that environment will determine how tall any sunflower gets, so the numbers are mere guidelines.

The desired height will ultimately depend on the growing conditions, which can vary greatly from year to year. More recently, some companies are listing some of their newer hybrids as “short stature” or “reduced height.” The key is for the grower to find the traits that fit a particular situation and growing environment.

Standability is the number-one advantage, says NSA board member and east central Kansas farmer Karl Esping, who has grown all different heights of sunflower hybrids. In fact, this year he grew some mid-height varieties just to try them out. But he clearly prefers the short-stature

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

for three main reasons: standability, field management options and ease of harvest.

Esping’s top priority is standability.

“Plain and simple, they don’t fall down. I don’t even look first at yield; I look at what I can get in the ground and get a good stand,” he says. “In a normal year, I like to see the ’flowers top out at about 36 inches.

The stalk quality is excellent and able to withstand the wind and insect damage.”

Seed company agronomists echo Esping’s sentiment that resistance to root lodging seems to be one of the best advantages of SS hybrids. In years when there is very good rainfall, hybrids tend to get taller.

Those taller hybrids are more susceptible to root lodging during severe rain and wind storms. The robust stalk of SS hybrids might also be less prone to lodging caused by tunneling by stem-infesting insects like the stem weevil and the long-horned beetle (Dectes).

Esping’s second reason for using SS hybrids is the ability to use ground spraying equipment. It’s cheaper and gives better control for critical time frames such as spraying for head moth. Esping also likes the ability to better control drift and target a specific part of the plant. Using a ground rig to apply bird repellent to the backs of the heads for better efficacy, for example, can be achieved on a short ’flower that’s starting to tilt.

Texas A&M University extension agronomist Calvin Trostle, who has worked with SS hybrid trials in Texas, says the same holds true for growers in the far Southern Plains looking for the opportunity for greater management options. “The compact growth habit of SS sunflower has shorter internodes between leaf axils while maintaining the same number of leaves,” he explains. “Though this leads to greater shading of lower leaves, producers have better field management options, such as mechanical cultivation and spraying for key insects, especially sunflower (head) moth here in Texas.”

The latter reason is the greater consideration. By using a ground rig, many growers believe they can get better head moth control because they can increase the gallonage to at least 10 gallons per acre (versus 3 gal/ac minimum recommended spray volume for aerial applications of common pyrethroids for sunflower head moth control). Plus, with ground application, farmers do not have to rely on a spray plane operator’s schedule when timing is especially critical.

Trostle explains that most of the sunflowers in the Lubbock, Texas, region are in 40-inch rows, making applications via ground rig very feasible. Producers on 30" rows find this more difficult though if they have a smaller ground spray rig like Spray Coupe, where the tires are much smaller

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

than what are on large rigs that cover a 90to 120-foot spray swath. You can't get between the rows quite as well on 40-inch rows, and certainly not on 30s.

The third main reason Esping and numerous others in the High Plains prefer the short-stature ’flowers is ease of harvest.

“Less material going through the combine reduces my dust, which in turn reduces my risk of fire,” he explains.

Esping stresses that his reasons for growing SS hybrids are geared toward his particular situation. He is clear to note that the last two years in Kansas have not been

typical. Severe drought took a toll on all dryland crops, including his sunflower.

Other Agronomic Attributes of SS Hybrids There are additional agronomic considerations for growing the shorter ’flowers.

When it comes to some attributes, the choice is clear between short-stature and conventional height. However, with other desired characteristics, the choice depends on the situation.

(Continued)

Call Today to Discuss Your High Oleic Sunflower Seed Marketing Plans.

19

Water usage is one example. While SS sunflower grows as a much more compact plant, some hybrids have a shorter root system that may not be able to go as deep as required for needed moisture.

Rob Aiken, crops research scientist with the Kansas State University Northwest Research-Extension Center at Colby, has done extensive work with SS hybrids commonly grown in the High Plains. Aiken explains that the rooting depth affects how much of the soil profile that the plant can explore and extract water from. Sunflower has that obvious advantage of going deep. “We have soils in western Kansas that have high water-holding capacity. We have measured substantial water extraction below 10 feet in the soil, so that means sunflower is able to get water that other crops can’t even begin to touch,” Aiken notes. “This is a very important consideration for dryland conditions because sometimes that last 200 or so pounds of yield is gained from that crop being able to go down there and pull that water out. So if you’re in a growing environment where deep water extraction is important, the standard height sunflower would be the choice.”

Not a lot of information is available on rooting systems in short stature versus standard height. Both have a good root system about four to five feet down; but the standard height goes beyond that to extract water deep in the soil profile.

Another area that’s debatable is in weed control. A good weed control program is important no matter the hybrid, and the plants’ canopy formation plays a significant role. The leaf canopy forms quicker on short stature, but conversely, it may provide less lateseason protection against weeds because of the short plant. In other

20

words, the weeds could outgrow the canopy.

Aiken provides some insight based on his research. “Shortstature hybrids we worked with were quicker to form a canopy and seem to have an advantage for weed control with their huge leaves,” he reports. Aiken is interested in the size and shape of the canopy, and those topics are in current research. It’s also important to consider that ongoing development by Dow AgroSciences breeders working on introgressing Clearfield and Clearfield Plus traits into SS hybrids will impact this.

Above all, Aiken stresses that productivity potential is there with SS hybrids. The hybrids he worked with in projects during 2009 and 2010 (along with Freddie Lamm, who managed those trials) yielded 3,000 to 3,200 lbs/ac with about 1720.5 inches of water use (compared to corn water use of 24-25 inches). In regions where water is scarce, every inch of moisture matters.

Short stature doesn’t mean they don’t yield, which is a common misconception with earlier hybrids. Again, performance trials speak for themselves. The hybrids commonly grown in the High Plains tend to rank in the upper one-fourth in trials when it comes to yield.

Will the same hold true for the trials in the Northern Plains?

Even when all evidence would point toward parity between shortstature and commercial height ’flowers, there’s still a ways to go to bringing them into production in the Northern Plains states.

Eventually, the data will tell the story whether growers in that region will have more options when choosing the right hybrid for them.— Sonia Mullally ■

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

!

#

$

"

Giving Sunflower The Care It Is Due

Photo: Don Lilleboe

Southwest Kansas Confection Grower Joel McClure Doesn’t Cut Corners

I

f you look at maps showing where the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was most severe, the highlighted area covers the Panhandle district of northern Texas and western Oklahoma, along with southwestern Kansas. That region also lies above what has been, in recent decades, one of the biggest drawdown sections of the Ogallala Aquifer.

Joel McClure, whose great-grandfather came to southwestern Kansas in 1908 and spent his first winter living in a covered wagon box, farms near Hugoton in Stevens County. The area’s annual precipitation

22

Above: Joel McClure (left) and his farm team leader, Troy Coen, check the progress of one of McClure’s 2012 center-pivot confection fields.

averages around 18 inches, but it has been considerably less than that the past three years. The situation makes McClure’s center-pivot irrigation systems more critical than ever — and likewise puts even more pressure on him to use every inch of water as efficiently as possible.

Sunflower — specifically, confection

sunflower — helps McClure accomplish that objective. He contracts his crop with Red River Commodities based out of Colby, Kan. McClure is well known in the region’s sunflower circles for his clean fields, excellent yields and high quality. His yield goal ranges between 2,500 to 3,000 lbs/ac on his irrigated confections. Couple that with a very high percentage of large seeds (90%-plus in most years), and it’s apparent why he is enthusiastic about this crop’s performance and potential on his farm.

Of course, not every year produces those kinds of numbers. But McClure follows several key management principles that he believes increase his odds considerably.

• No Tolerance for Weeds — McClure farm team leader Troy Coen puts it this way: “Joel’s threshold on weeds is very, very low. There’s no tolerance.”

While no weed species get a break on the McClure farm, he’s particularly insistent on reining in Palmer amaranth and kochia — to the point of even manually hoeing out some irksome patches of resistant kochia this year. “I have 16 hoes, and this past season there were 16 of us out there hoeing” a total of about 15 acres in one field, he says.

McClure’s first rule for sunflower weed control is to place the crop on fields (typically following wheat or corn) where the weeds have been well managed the previous year. “Then, about two to two and a half weeks prior to my planned sunflower planting date, I’ll put down a tank mix of glyphosate, 2,4-D and possibly one more herbicide option,” he explains. “I don’t want anything left standing.”

Two to three days after that tank mix is applied and the weeds are taking up the chemicals, McClure puts on 3.0 to 4.0 oz of Spartan, depending on the field’s soil type. If a timely rainfall doesn’t arrive, he’ll incorporate the Spartan with the center pivot.

Immediately prior to planting, another application of glyphosate alone will be made, followed by 2.5 to 3.0 oz of Spartan in a tank mix with 1.5 to 2.0 pints of Dual for grass control. In 2012 he also spottreated with Prowl for some puncturevine patches and achieved very good control.

Does this regimen cause any crop injury to the sunflower? “We have had some on the sandier soils,” McClure says. “So if the sunflower is into good moisture and coming on strong, we won’t water them.

Just let them work their way through it.”

• 20-Inch Rows — Planting his confections in 20-inch rows rather than 30s has several benefits, according to McClure — one of which relates to weed control.

“You canopy a lot sooner compared to 30s,” he notes, “and that helps suppress

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

‘Every inch of water is more precious than it was a year ago,10 years ago. We need to make use of every drop of water we pump.’

Photo: Don Lilleboe

any small weeds that may have survived.�

The shade from the tighter plant canopy of the 20s also reduces moisture loss at the soil surface, which was the primary reason McClure went to 20-inch rows in the first place. “So the water we’re applying gets to stay with the plant longer.�

Plant population is another key benefit. “On a 30-inch row, [seed companies] talk about how they’d like to have the plants 14 to 16 inches apart on confections. That’s about 16,500 plants per acre. But we can take that up to 22,000 on 20-inch rows and still have that 14- to 16-inch spacing in the row. That’s a big increase in yield potential for irrigated confections.� The more-equidistant spacing also reduces plant competition, contributing to better plant health and more-efficient use of moisture and nutrients, McClure adds.

The only “downsideâ€? to 20-inch rows — if you can call it that — is the challenging of navigating through the tight-canopied field during the bud stage and beyond. “I’ve never crawled through a jungle, but I’d assume this is kind of how it’s like,â€? McClure quips. “I have crawled down those rows rather than walk.â€? • Stand Establishment — To aid good seed-to-soil contact and plant stand establishment, McClure strip tills his sunflower ground in the spring with a DMI unit. “The way our strip-till rig is set up, it probably fractures a 10-inch wide zone; but the band that looks tilled is closer to only four inches,â€? he says. “I don’t build soil berms, but just use the unit’s berm disks to catch the soil that explodes away from the knife and contain it.â€?

Planting date in the southern High Plains can be tricky in an exceptionally hot year like 2012. While he and other area growers prefer a later planting date to help avoid the stem weevil, McClure had one field — planted the last week of June — that was not harvested. The reason? Very poor germination and emergence due to extreme soil temperatures. “Right in there was when we had temperatures of 100 degrees-plus for 14 to 18 days,â€? he explains. McClure’s top fields this year were planted in late May and early June, and he’ll likely trend toward that time period again in 2013. • Water, Water, Water — “I understand that to grow a good sunflower crop takes water,â€? McClure says. “Used to be, I thought we could apply nine inches or so of irrigation water and raise a decent crop. But yields are directly related to the amount of water I can apply — up to a point. You can apply 24 inches of water, and you’re not going to gain much more crop than you will with 16 inches.â€?

That said, McClure is adamant about using whatever water he applies as efficiently as possible. “Every inch of water is more precious than it was a year ago, 10 years ago,� he emphasizes. “We need to make use of every drop of water we pump. It’s a ‘one-time harvest.’ Every inch we pump where we don’t get the best that can be done with that acre inch of water, we’re taking away from our children, our grandchildren.�

To help with his irrigation timing and set length decisions, McClure employs an AquaSpy™ soil moisture sensor system. A five-foot-long probe buried in the field provides real-time moisture and salinity readings at four-inch increments. Those data, updated every few minutes, are available for review and analysis at any time on a secure Internet site. “Two years ago, my crop consultant told me there was enough water in the profile to turn off the sprinkler,â€? McClure recounts. “That monitor told me ‘no,’ I needed more. I watered for three

more weeks, and my yield went up 800 lbs over what I’d traditionally been doing there.� • Insect Control & Plant Health — The sunflower head moth and the stem weevil are McClure’s two main insect challenges. The stem weevil insecticide (Asana in 2012) goes on via a ground rig in a tank mix including a grass herbicide (Select).

Stem weevil control was excellent this past season, except in parts of one field where he only spot sprayed due to grass weed pressure being very low across most of the field.

He’ll typically spray twice for the head moth, once when about 10% of buds are opening and the second five to seven days later. He also adds a fungicide (usually Headline) to the first treatment for plant health purposes and rust control, should that

Put a Hard Charging Starter in Your Your Tank Tank k

What a Helena Starter Can Do for Your Your Crops s Stronger, more uniform growth after application s Safe to seed at labeled rates* s s Contains proprietary fertilizer additives s Fights germination loss s s 100% orthophosphate, pH neutral 8-24-0 formulation s Low application rates s Compatible with insecticides & other fertilizers s Non-corrosive to application equipment

8-24-0 High-Analysis, 100% Orthophosphate, Seed Safe* Phosphorus That “Puts the P in Planting & Placement�

People... ple...

Pr oducts...

Products...

Knowledge...

(ELENA #HEMICAL #OMPANY s 3MYTHE &ARM 2D -EMPHIS 4. s WWW HELENACHEMICAL COM Always read and follow label directions. Nucleus & People...Products...Knowledge... are registered trademarks of Helena Holding Company. Š 2013 Helena Holding Company

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

23

disease be threatening the crop.

“Maintaining plant health all the way through the season is very important,” he says, “and putting the fungicide on while we’re already applying the insecticide is a lot cheaper than making a separate pass.”

I

n what was an extremely dry 2012 season, McClure still came through with a very good confection sunflower crop. His lowest field (other than the one planted in extreme heat) yielded 2,550 lbs/ac, while his top yielder produced more than 3,100

lbs. His overall percentage of plump seeds averaged 88%.

In the end, it’s all about giving the crop what it needs — including intensive management, this successful High Plains confection producer emphasizes. “There’s a direct relationship between the amount of effort put into a sunflower crop versus what you get out of it,” Joel McClure states. “If you treat it like a stepchild, it will turn out that way. But if you treat it right, it will do the same for you.”

— Don Lilleboe ■

Above: As he continues pushing the sunflower yield envelope, Joel McClure simultaneously carries a strong track record when it comes to percentage plump seeds. He typically ranks above 90% on his irrigated confections.

FANTINI SUNFLOWER HEADERS Put an end to header losses.

High-performance, low-loss specialized sunflower header gives you maximum R.O.I. Nothing else like it on the market.

Unique rubber block gathering system for vibration-free movement of the flowers to the auger.

Rear-tilting collecting pans to ensure fallen seeds are taken into the header, reducing losses.

Call 507.357.2341 or click on fantininorthamerica.net to find your nearest dealer.

24

40463, 261st Avenue l Le Center, MN 56057 fantininorthamerica@gmail.com

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

#503 #2%!-9 5."544%2 #503 "2/7. 35'!2 0!#+%$ ,!2'% %''3: ,)'(4,9 "%!4%. 7)4( ! &/2+ 4%!30//.3 "!+).' 0/7$%2 ; 4%!30//. &2%3( ,%-/. *5)#% 4%!30//.3 6!.),,! %842!#4 ; #50 !002/8)-!4%,9 '2!.5,!4%$ 35'!2 &/2 2/,,).' 4(% #//+)%3 /5.#%3 ")44%237%%4 /2 3%-)37%%4 #(/#/,!4% #()03 #50 (%!69 7()00).' #2%!2%(%!4 /6%. 4/ $%'2%%3 ).% 47/ "!+).' 3(%%43 7)4( %)4(%2 0!2#(-%.4 0!0%2 /2 3),)#/. "!+).' -!43 . ! ,!2'% "/7, 7)4( ! 7//$%. 30//. -)8 4(% 5."544%2 7)4( 4(% "2/7. 35'!2 4)2 5.4), 7%,, ",%.$%$ $$ 4(% %''3 "!+).' 0/7$%2 ,%-/. *5)#% !.$ 6!.),,! 4)2 7%,, /52 4(% '2!.5,!4%$ 35'!2 ). ! 3-!,, "/7, !+% /.% 4!",% 30//. 4(% $/5'( !.$ 2/,, ). ! "!,, /,, 4(% $/5'( "!,, ). 4(% 35'!2 !.$ 0,!#% /. 02%0!2%$ "!+).' 3(%%4 !"/54 ; ).#(%3 !0!24 %0%!4 7)4( 4(% 2%34 /& 4(% $/5'( )0 ! &,!4 "/44/-%$ ',!33 /2 -%!352).' #50 ). 4(% 35'!2 !.$ 02%33 $/7. '%.4,9 /. 4(% "!,,3 4/ &,!44%. 4(%- !+% &/2 !"/54 -).

54%3 (%9 3(/5,$ ,//+ 05&&%$ !.$ #2!#+%$ "54 ./4 $29 %-/6% &2//6%. ,%4 #//, &)6% -).54%3 /. 4(% 0!. !.$ 4(%. 2%-/6% 7)4( ! 30!45,! 4/ 7)2% 2!#+3 4/ #//, #/-0,%4%,9 (),% #//+ )%3 !2% "!+).' -!+% 4(% &),,).' ,!#% #(/#/,!4% #()03 ). ! 3-!,, (%!402//& "/7, . ! 3-!,, 3!5#%0!. (%!4 4(% #2%!- /6%2 -%$)5- (%!4 5.4), )4 *534 #/-%3 4/ ! "/), /52 /6%2 4(% #(/#/ ,!4% !.$ ,%4 3%4 &/2 &)6% -).54%3 !.$ 4(%. 7()3+ 4/'%4(%2 5.4), 4(% -)8452% )3 3().9 !.$ 3-//4( %4 34!.$ 5.4), #//,%$ !.$ 4()#+%.%$ !"/54 -).

54%3 ()3+ !'!). "%&/2% 53).' / !3 3%-",% 4(% 3!.$7)#(%3 302%!$ !"/54 ; 4%!30//.3 /& #(/#/,!4% &),,).' /.

4(% &,!4 3)$% /& (!,& 4(% #//+)%3 /0 7)4( 4(% 2%-!).).' #//+)%3 4(% &,!4

3)$% /& 4(% #//+)%3 '/).' /.4/ 4(% #(/#/,!4% %.4,9 02%33 4(% #//+)%3 4/ '%4(%2 3/ 4(!4 4(% &),, ).' 302%!$3 !,-/34 4/ 4(% %$'% %4 4(% #//+)%3 3%4 /. 2!#+ &/2 !"/54 -/2% -).54%3 "% &/2% 3%26).' 4/ ,%4 &),,).' #/0,%4%,9 &)2- 50

#503 35'!2 #50 7()4% 39250 #503 2!7 35.&,/7%2 +%2.%,3 4"30 "544%2 430 "!+).' 3/$!

430 6!.),,! %842!#4 %,4 "544%2 !.$ !$$ 6!.),,! 4/ )4 %4 !3)$% 2).' /.% (!,& #50 /& 7!4%2 4/ ! "/), (%. !$$ 47/ #503 /& 35'!2 !.$ /.% #50 /& 7()4% 39250 4)2 5.4), $)33/,6%$ ,!#% 4(%2-/-%4%2 /. 0!.

7)4( "5," !"/54 /.% 15!24%2 ).#( /&& "/44/- /), 4(% -)8452% 5.4), 4%-0%2 !452% 2%!#(%3 $%'2%%3 /7 !$$ 47/ #503 /& 2!7 35.&,/7%2 +%2.%,3 !.$ #//+ /. -/$%2!4%,9 ()'( (%!4 5.4), 4(% 4%-0%2!452% 2%!#(%3 $%'2%%3 /.

4(% 4(%2-/-%4%2 %-/6% &2/- (%!4 !.$ !$$ 4(% "30 -%,4%$ "544%2 !.$ /.% 430 !.),,! %842!#4 -)8452% 4)2 15)#+,9 !.$ 4(%. !$$ 47/ 430 "!+).'

3/$! 4)2 15)#+,9 !.$ 4(/2/5'(,9 5)#+,9 302%!$ "2)44,% /.4/ 47/ ,!2'% #//+)% 3(%%43 4(!4 (!6% "%%. (%!4%$ 4/ !"/54 $%'2%%3 !.$ 7%,, "544%2%$ ,!#% )--%$)!4%,9 ).4/ ! 6%29 #/,$ 0,!#% %4 #//, 4(/2/5'(,9 !.$ 4(%.

"2%!+ ).4/ 0)%#%3 2)44,% )3 "%34 7(%.

-!$% ). 4(% #/,$ #/,$ 7).4%2 !.$ ). ! $29 #,)-!4% )%,$3 !002/8)-!4%,9 /.% 0/5.$

#50 4/!34%$ /!4 #%2%!, #50 /,$ &!3()/.%$ 2/,,%$ /!43 #50 3(2%$$%$ #/#/.54 #50 7(/,% 5.3!,4%$ !,-/.$3 #50 7(%!4 '%2#50 3(%,,%$ 5.3!,4%$ 35.&,/7%2 3%%$3 #50 2!)3).3 #50 (/.%9 #50 ,)'(4 #/2. 39250 #50 6%'%4!",% /), 4%!30//. 6!.),,! %842!#4 4%!30//. !,-/.$ %842!#4 2%(%!4 /6%. 4/ $%'2%%3 .! ,!2'% "/7, 34)2 4/'%4(%2 #%2%!, 2/,,%$ /!43 #/#/.54 !,-/.$3 7(%!4 '%235.&,/7%2 3%%$3 !.$ 2!)3).3 . !

-%$)5- "/7, 53% -%$)5- 30%%$ /& !. %,%#42)# -)8%2 4/ "%!4 (/.%9 #/2.

39250 /), 6!.),,! !.$ !,-/.$ %842!#4 5.4), 7%,, ",%.$%$ /52 (/.%9 -)8 452% /6%2 $29 ).'2%$)%.43 34)22).' 5.4), 7%,, #/!4%$ 02%!$ %6%.,9 /. !

'2%!3%$ "!+).' 3(%%4 !+% 4/ -).54%3 /2 5.4), "2/7. //, #/0,%4%,9 ). 0!. 2%!+ ).4/ 0)%#%3 4/2% ). !. !)24)'(4 #/.4!).%2 )%,$3 !"/54 #503

New Products Drive the

Spanish Snacks Market Part 3 in a Series on NSA Foreign Market Development Efforts Below: This advertisement is part of a National Sunflower Association-backed campaign to increase consumption of sunflower seeds (“pipas”) in Spain. It encourages young people to socialize with each other — and, concurrently, to snack on sunflower.

This and other ads promote the several Spanish snack brands that use sunflower.

Editor’s Note: The National Sunflower Association (NSA) continues to work with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) as a matching-dollar cooperator for purposes of foreign market development.

NSA currently operates in five countries with an annual FAS allocation of about $1.5 million. Activities in Mexico, Spain, Turkey and Germany focus on confection sunflower in-shell seeds and kernel. The program in Canada is directed toward sunflower oil.

The following article is the third in a series discussing NSA foreign market development efforts. Spain is the largest market for U.S. confection sunflower in-shell seeds and a growing market for confection sunflower kernel. NSA promotes U.S. confection sunflower in-shell and kernels to consumers who prefer roasted and salty products by highlighting positive aspects of health, taste and cost advantages compared to other snacks. NSA also works in partnership with snack food processors using a point-of-sale campaign to generate sales opportunities.

In 2012/13, we expect U.S. export volume, value and market share to remain generally consistent with the prior marketing year due to the current recession and the economic uncertainty in that country surrounding the coming months. Exports are expected to rebound and continue growing in future marketing years due to an increase in confection sunflower production in the U.S. and recovery of the Spanish economy.

This article was written by Paula Entwistle of Ketchum Pleon PR Agency in Madrid and director of the NSA promotions program in Spain.

T

o set a context for the current situation, Spain is submerged in the worst economic crisis since probably the civil war back in 1939. Despite this, it’s interesting to note and highlight that the food industry in general and the snack industry in particular are not sectors that have been as damaged as other important industries such as the auto industry and other manufacturing sectors.

26

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

In the previous marketing year, a budget of nearly $600,000 was utilized in Spain to focus on the consumer and the snack industry to promote both in-shell and kernel sunflower through media advertisements, in-store promotions, point-of-sale materials, and press releases. Trade shows in Spain are also a way to reach snack food manufacturers and bakery suppliers with our message.

According to a recent analysis published in a Spanish-based food trade magazine, potato chips and other popular snacks such as in-shell sunflower seeds account for 45% of snacks consumption in Spain, a market that managed to end 2011 with global growth in terms of both value and volume.

To get a feel for the Spanish consumer audience, it’s important to understand the cultural settings in which most consumers are likely to choose sunflower seeds as a snacking option. In Spain, snacks have always played an important role as a socializing element, as they are consumed during gatherings with friends and family. The defining characteristics of consumption in Spain are as follows: On the one hand, 90% of Spaniards over 15 years old consume snacks, with a higher ratio for women (91%) than for men (88%).

On the other, half of snack consumers are over 25 — although from the age of 64 upwards, interest in snacking at social events and get-togethers diminishes. Moreover, the regions where most snacks are consumed have a warmer climate. More than 70% of the population eats snacks at least once a week.

According to data from the Spanish snack manufacturers association, Spanish consumers believe that the best occasions to eat snacks are in the company of friends and/or family. This shows that snacks play an important role as a socializing vehicle during leisure time. One of the leisure occasions when Spaniards consume most snacks is during major sports events, especially soccer matches.

This fact has led the National Sunflower Association and the Ketchum Pleon PR Agency to lead a campaign in Spain targeting young adults to socialize in “real life” or in person with their friends, avoiding so much on-line chatting and socializing via computer screen or other electronic device.

The campaign’s objective is to get these snackers to consider sunflower seeds, or “pipas” as they are called in Spain.

The campaign is multi-branded, with the goal of promoting all current U.S. confection sunflower seed buyers (Spanish snack brands). All the ads feature their logos as to not favor one brand over another.

Another characteristic of our ad campaign in Spain is that it does not call for a one-brand sort of message; instead, the copy appeals to eating sunflower seeds as a pastime activity. The main objectives of the

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

The ads’ language translates to: ‘Create your own real life network with your people and your favorite pipas brands.’ message is to identify pipas as a “fun snack;” to address new consumers’ online entertaining behaviors; and to position pipas in front of a real-life socializer. We also work to identify which brands are selling U.S. sunflower seeds and drive roasters’ sales and brand recognition.

A major avenue for reaching the primary snacking group in Spain (young adults) is to address new leisure and social venues such as social media. The interaction-social media realm reaches an increasing number of consumers of all ages engaging in digital activities for work, fun and educational purposes.

With teenagers, a significant amount of hours are invested on socializing online.

Sociologically speaking, we have moved from phone conversation habits to onscreen photo/comments and chats. So during the past two years, we have initiated a significant effort to position pipas “out

front” of young adults as the real-life socializer. This is rooted in new consumers’ leisure time activity, which is increasingly devoted to chatting and relating to peers through online social networks such as the worldwide medium of Facebook (or Spanish-based “tuenti”) for young adults aged 13-25.

During 2012 we launched a campaign called “yo.pipeo” — oriented to teenagers, including all brands that purchase U.S. confection seeds. The language in the ads can be translated to: “Create your own real life network with your people and your favorite pipas brands.” A series of creative pieces ran with messages reinforcing why it’s important to do real life socializing highlighting how emotional, interesting and highly rewarding it really is to meet with our friends in person. One ad message translates to, “yo.pipeo - the network where you really know who your friends (really) are.”

Through these types of advertisements and promotions, NSA uses a diversified media relations awareness campaign focusing on nutrition and health benefits to drive increased sales with consumers. We also provide market information and resources to snack food processors to promote positive characteristics of U.S. confection inshell and kernel snacks. With these efforts, pipas continue to be a very viable snack choice for Spaniards.

■

27

Kettle Brand

Photos: Kettle Brand

Pioneer in All-Natural Snacks Celebrates 30th Birthday With Fresh Ideas, New Products

28

T

hough the product profiles featured in The Sunflower often highlight companies that are new to the sunflower scene, it’s also fitting to focus on the ones that are considered pioneers in their field and continue to utilize sunflower to sustain the success of their products.

Kettle Brand is one company for which sunflower oil has been a part of this equation for success for more than 30 years.

The Oregon-based company prides itself on transforming the way people think about potato chips. Amongst a consumer movement toward more healthy food choices and food ingredient awareness, Kettle Brand stands out as raising the standards for the potato chip snack category.

They attribute much of their success to the use of high-oleic sunflower oil along with other natural, non-GMO ingredients. Consumers can rest assured they are eating allnatural ingredients without trans-fats, artificial flavors or preservatives. Not many potato chips makers will be so bold, but Kettle Brand is also the first and only Non-GMO Project verified potato chip on the market. The first flavors to feature the Non-GMO Project verification prominently on front-of packaging will appear on store shelves this month.

The company celebrated its 30th birthday this past year and continues to carry on the tradition of offering only natural products since they made their first batch of chips in 1982. Through the years, they have maintained their commitment to sustainable business practices. In March of 2010, Kettle Brand joined the Diamond Foods family of snack brands.

Marc McCullagh, brand manager for Kettle Brand, recently offered insight into the company’s “all-natural” philosophy. — Sonia Mullally

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

Clearly, potato chips are a favorite snack of millions of people all over the U.S. How are Kettle Brand chips different from other potato chips on the market?

Kettle Brand is a pioneer and one of the leaders in the premium kettle-cooked category, producing six premium product lines: Original, Krinkle Cut™, Organic, 40 Percent Reduced Fat and Bakes™ potato chips, as well as TIAS!™ tortilla chips. Committed to making every product with all-natural ingredients and without transfats, artificial flavors or preservatives, we’re passionate about making the best tasting, all-natural chips in the world. Real, allnatural ingredients create our delicious, innovative flavors; and for over 30 years we’ve been focused on providing great taste, naturally.

What attributes make Kettle Brand Chips stand out in a crowded potato chip marketplace?

Kettle Brand is the real kettle chip. We’re known for delivering the most exciting and innovative flavors in the snack aisle — made from real ingredients, by real people. Our potato chips taste so good because they’re made with all-natural ingredients, the finest potatoes and delicious blends of natural seasonings to create bold flavors consumers love.

Sunflower oil is listed on your ingredient panel. Why sunflower oil?

Kettle Brand has used sunflower oil since we made our first batch of chips in 1982. While we list multiple oils on our packaging, we do not blend, but sometimes switch between oils based on availability.

Sunflower oil is light in taste and appearance, so it doesn’t compromise the bold flavor profiles of our chips. We use high-monounsaturated oils because they have a favorable fatty acid profile that leads to stability when frying and allows us a longer shelf life.

Why non-GMO ingredients? Why is this an important component of the company’s philosophy?

Kettle Brand has used natural, Non-GMO ingredients since our founding. Our Natural Promise is a commitment to all natural, Non-GMO ingredients that consumers can pronounce and recognize. Recognizing that a growing number of consumers are concerned with what goes into the foods they eat, Kettle Brand has invested in ensuring Non-GMO ingredients and verification so our consumers can continue to trust the integrity of our products.

Can you explain the process of seeking out a third-party entity and what steps led to the verification by the Non-GMO Project?

Kettle Brand has been working with the Non-GMO Project since 2009 to gain verification for our products. A large part of this process involved coordinating with our suppliers to provide the Non-GMO Project with the documentation required to verify that the ingredients we use are Non-GMO. We started selling the market’s first and only Non-GMO Project Verified potato chip earlier this year, and by 2013 many of our fan-favorite flavors, like Jalapeño, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Spicy Thai and Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper, will have the Non-GMO label featured on front of our packages. We are working diligently to achieve verification on all of our products.

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

The company recently celebrated 30 years of making Kettle Brand chips. Can you explain how the company marked this occasion?

In celebration of Kettle Brand’s 30th Birthday this year, we released a limited-edition collection of our four favorite flavors in July: Red Chili, Jalapeño Jack, Salsa with Mesquite and Cheddar Beer. The 30th Birthday collection is available online and at select retailers through next summer.

The company is considered one of the pioneers and leaders in the kettle-cooked category? What have been some of the challenges along the way?

From the first batch of chips we made in 1982, a single philosophy has guided Kettle Brand: use only the freshest, all-natural ingredients to create intensely flavored, wonderfully craveable potato chips you can feel good about eating. For our fans and consumers, that means the most exciting flavors in the snack aisle made from all-natural ingredients. We use only the finest real potatoes and delicious blends of all-natural seasonings — real cheddar cheese, real chilies and peppers, real limes and other natural ingredients — to create bold flavors consumers love.

It’s always a challenge to find the balance between piquing consumers’ interest in exploring new flavors, and reaching a wide audience with our products. Since day one, Kettle Brand has always been about flavor innovation; but we always have to keep the consumer in mind when we consider new products and flavors.

We want to make sure not to isolate our consumer with flavors that are too far out of the box.

One of your recent press releases states something to the effect of “rapid growth over the past 10 years.” Can you explain what this might be attributed to?

The snack category is all about flavor. At Kettle Brand, we’ve introduced more than 40 flavors in three decades, and we’re always researching, testing and tasting for our next flavor. We’ve often been ahead of our time and are just now starting to see trends in spicy as well as ethnic and exotic, something we’ve had in our flavor line for years now.

Premium ingredients are essential to achieve outstanding flavor, which is why we use all natural, non-GMO ingredients with no artificial flavorings, no preservatives and no MSG; our consumers can taste the difference.

What’s on the horizon for your company? New products? New marketing strategies? New/current promotions?

Kettle Brand just launched a new advertising campaign called “The Real Kettle Chips,” which highlights our longstanding commitment to chips’ authenticity and flavor innovation. We also just relaunched our Kettle Brand Bakes line this fall in new bold and colorful packaging with five flavors: Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Hickory Honey Barbeque, Sour Cream & Onion and Cheddar & Roasted Tomato.

We also have plans to introduce our next big flavor this summer — and there are always new flavors in the pipeline.

For more information on Kettle Brand products, go to their website at www.kettlebrand.com.

■

29

30 Years Ago Excerpts from the January 1983 Issue of The Sunflower

One Field / Three Uses / Same Year / By Don Lilleboe — “Northwood, N.D., farmer Marv Klevberg accomplished three things within the same 160-acre field this past year: he qualified part of it for the set-aside program, he grew a crop of confection sunflower, and he planted winter wheat.

“In one field, in one year, in North Dakota? Yup. “Klevberg utilized the ‘skip-row’ concept he’d previously observed being used on cotton ground in Texas. He learned from his state ASCS office that he could skip a minimum of 160 inches, plant four rows of sunflower (or other non-program crop), skip another 160 inches, plant another four rows, and so forth. Fifty percent of the field would then qualify as set-aside acres. (The four-row/160inch pattern is a minimum. One could, for example, have gone with eight rows and 320 inches.) Klevberg seeded his confection flowers by utilizing only the center four boxes on an eight-row planter and then extending his guide marker 10 inches. This established the desired cropping pattern. . . . .

“The final yields on the skip-row confection flowers were impressive, due in good share to the four-row concept permitting more outside rows, which in turn resulted in larger heads and seeds. On a per acre basis, the skip-row sunflower yielded 1,980 pounds. Another nearby field — this one planted entirely in confection sunflower — ran 1,550 pounds per acre.

“Percentage of large seeds, a very desirable trait with confection sunflower, also differed considerably between the two fields. The sunflower in the skip-row field produced 57 percent large seeds (run over a 20/64 screen), while the other field yielded 32 percent.”

30

Solid Seeding: How Viable Is It? / By Don Lilleboe — “There are lots of ‘depends on’ to consider when trying to assess the viability of solid seeding of sunflower: depends on whether you already own row crop planting and cultivating equipment; depends on your moisture profile prior to and during the growing season; depends on how good a job your preplant herbicide does; depends on how stretched for time you are during the cultivation season; depends on how important an earlier drydown is to you; depends on whether you carry Federal Crop Insurance on your sunflower.

“Solid seeding is really somewhat of a misnomer, since what we’re referring to here is the planting of sunflower in narrow rows — anywhere from eight inches on up to 22 inches or more. Such seeding is usually done with a grain drill or air seeder.

“The practice has always been in the minority on U.S. sunflower acres. But in Manitoba, where they’ve been raising oil-type sunflower commercially for some 40 years, it was until recently the predominant method of seeding flowers. “ ‘I would say we’ve gone from a situation where as recently as five years ago it would be 50 percent solid seeded, to a situation today where it’s probably 90 percent row crop,” observes Bob Ferguson, specialty crops manager for United Grain Growers, Winnipeg. Solid seeding’s previous popularity was largely due to growers not owning row crop equipment and not wishing to invest in it. ‘It was a way to try the crop and get your feet wet without investing $25,000,’ Ferguson explains. “The main reason for the switchover, he suggests, is that when row cropping, ‘If you get into trouble (with weed control), you can cultivate. With solid seeding, you’re limited to a harrow operation.’ ” Sunflower Fixed in Irrigator’s Rotation / By Don Lilleboe — “1982 was a year in which Texas boosted its sunflower acreage by 10-fold — up to 250,000 from the previous year’s 25,000. But most of these added acres were put in simply as a ‘catch crop,’ something which could be planted on hailed-out cotton ground.

“Weldon Jones was an exception to the rule. The Hart, Texas, farmer put in his fifth crop of irrigated sunflower on 160 acres. For Jones, sunflower has become an established part of a rotation which also includes wheat, corn and sugarbeets. . . .

“Like most irrigators in the area, Jones utilizes a furrow irrigation system. In some years, he prewaters (irrigate prior to planting); in others, he’ll ‘water up’ (after planting). Soil moisture and early spring rainfall determine which one he’ll opt for. The initial watering will be followed by one or two more during the bud or early bloom stages, depending on the amount of rain falling in the interim. Last year, Jones was able to get by with only one additional watering, that being when the plants were in the bud stage. . . .

“Though water tables continue to drop while pumping costs continue to rise, Jones believes the advantages of irrigating his sunflower definitely outweigh the added labor and expense. ‘We have planted some sunflower dryland, and most of the time yields were around 700-900 pounds an acre. On our irrigated, we’ve never made less than 2,300,’ he observes.’

Eastern Sunflower / By Walter Schmidt, Area Extension Agent, Fremont, Ohio — “Since 1979 some 10,-15,000 acres of oil-type sunflower have been planted annually in Ohio. Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania acreages have been roughly 4,000, 15,000 and 3,000, respectively, during this period. Varietal trials, herbicide and fertility trials and plant population and date of planting studies have been conducted in Ohio for the past four years. . . .

“The greatest potential for sunflower in Indiana and Ohio is as a double crop following wheat harvest or some other small grain (rye harvested green for straw, for instance). Land value in this region is such that a sunflower crop cannot pay cash rent or make interest assessments of $100-plus per acre and remain a viable crop alternative if planted as a single crop. Double cropping greatly reduces this land charge assessed to the sunflower.”

■

THE SUNFLOWER January 2013

www.pioneer.com/sunflower

BRINGING BETTER YIELDS TO LIGHT When you’re looking to maximize your sunflower acres, look no further than Pioneer® brand sunflower hybrids. DuPont Pioneer offers the choices you want to help maximize yield and oil. All of our hybrids offer elite genetics and many come with the DuPont™ ExpressSun® herbicide tolerance trait, a non-transgenic gene which provides tolerance to postemergence applications of DuPont™ Express® herbicide with TotalSol® soluble granules.

Rely on our knowledgeable service team and your Pioneer sales professional to match the right product with the right acre.