Sunflowerseed
Cultivated sunflowers are one of the five largest oilseed crops
in the world. Sunflower production was 7-9 percent of world oilseed
output between marketing years 1999/2000 and 2008/09. Sunflowerseed
oil, the principal product of sunflowerseed processing, accounted
for 8-11 percent of world vegetable oil trade between 1999/2000 and
2008/09.
In 2008/09 (September-August), sunflower production in the
United States had a farm-gate value of $669 million and was
concentrated in the northern Midwest. About a quarter of
sunflowerseed is used in birdseed, and another 10-20 percent is
sold directly for snacks and baking products. The remaining seed is
crushed into oil and meal. Historically, seed was produced for
export to Europe, but today, only a small amount is exported;
instead, today's sunflower crop is almost entirely consumed
domestically.
Production
History
Sunflower oil is widely used in parts of Russia, Europe, and the
Middle East, and U.S. production began with immigrant groups from
these regions. With the introduction of high-oil-yielding Soviet
cultivators in the late 1960s and the development of oilseed
crushing capacity in the United States, sunflower production
increased to over 200,000 acres by 1970. Acreage continued to rise
throughout the 1970s, fueled by strong prices, improved varieties
(including Argentine and hybrid seed), and ready export markets in
Europe and Mexico. Planted acreage peaked at 5.6 million acres in
1979.
Through the 1970s, sunflowers were touted as one of the most
promising growth crops. However, U.S. sunflower production declined
by more than two-thirds in the 1980s as foreign sunflower
production expanded and U.S. farmers increased production of
alternate oil crops (primarily soybeans).
During the 1990s, sunflower acreage rebounded largely as a
result of the Food Agricultural Conservation and Trade Act of
1990 that included sunflower and other minor oilseeds in the Marketing Assistance Loans/Loan Deficiency
Payments 
program. Sunflowerseed
producers became eligible for
Direct Payments and
Countercyclical Payments in 2002 and the Average Crop Revenue Election Program in 2008.
However, sunflower production has not regained levels seen in the
late 1970s, largely because of decreased export prospects.
Production
Practices
Sunflower varieties are separated into two types: oil and
confection (non-oil). Oil-type sunflowerseed is selected for
specific characteristics such as oil yield, the amount of oleic
acid in the oil, and the protein content of the meal (the residual
left after extraction of the oil). Oil-type sunflowerseeds are
black with thin hulls. Oil-type seeds contain 35-55 percent oil (as
compared with 18 percent for soybeans) and about 20 percent crude
protein by weight, depending on the seed variety and irrigation
use. Confection sunflowerseeds are relatively thick and large, with
striped hulls that are only loosely attached to the kernels.
Approximately 90 percent of U.S. production is oil-type
sunflowerseed and 10 percent confection.
Sunflower production is concentrated in the northern Midwest,
where the shorter growing season makes corn and soybean production
less attractive (see 2007 Census of Agriculture maps for
Oil Varieties and
Confection (Non-Oil) Varieties). Sunflowers
are able to thrive in these dry and windy areas because of a deep
root structure. In 2009, 44 percent of production was in North
Dakota, 28 percent in South Dakota, and the rest, scattered
throughout California, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Oklahoma, and Texas. Sunflowers can also be grown in a double crop
rotation in the southern Midwest, Delta, and South, but widespread
adoption has yet to take place.
In the northern Midwest, optimal planting time is May 1-20, but
planting can extend into June (see Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates for U.S. Field
Crops). Further south, in States such as Texas, sunflowerseed
can be planted several months later, providing additional sources
of seed in years with poor growing conditions in the Northern
Plains. Most production is contracted prior to planting. Typically,
buyers provide specific types of hybrid seed and agree to purchase
the crop at a set price. Quality standards also affect the future
payment, especially for confection seed. Sunflowers are harvested
between late September and early November.
In the northern Midwest, sunflowers are often planted in
rotation with small grains such as wheat, barley, and oats, as well
as with potatoes, sugar beets, and dry peas. Ideally, crop
rotations include sunflowers every 3-4 years to limit the risk of
disease and insects. Because sunflowers are susceptible to the
disease Sclerotinia(white mold), other susceptible crops (such as
canola, soybeans, dry beans) should not be rotated with
sunflowers.
Producers apply nitrogen, potassium, and potash (potassium
carbonate) in the spring. Pesticides and herbicides are commonly
applied because pests, weeds, and disease can be significant
problems. Recent improvements in sunflower varieties that are
resistant to Sclerotiniawilt (stalk and head rot) have reduced
pesticide use, though disease resistance lags improvements in other
major crops, such as corn and soybeans.
Processing
The majority of oil-type sunflowerseed is crushed in North
Dakota and western Kansas to separate oil from meal. The amount of
crush is primarily determined by demand for sunflowerseed oil
because the share of revenue from oil is larger than that from
meal.
Two major crushing technologies are used to process sunflowers in
the United States. All crushing plants use a continuous feed
expeller, which presses the oil from the seeds by mechanical
pressure. This process retains 3-10 percent of the oil in the meal.
Afterwards, most crushing plants use a solvent extraction process
where the remaining meal is washed with a hexane solution to
dislodge nearly all the remaining oil. Solvent extraction reduces
the oil content of sunflower meal to 0.5-1.0 percent, increasing
the value of the meal and producing larger amounts of high-value
sunflower oil.
Multiple small confectionary processing plants are located
throughout sunflower-producing States to take advantage of local
distribution. Some of the seed is roasted, much like peanuts, while
some is dehulled and the kernels sold as confectionary "nuts." Food
processors purchase sunflower kernels to sell directly to consumers
as packaged snacks or as an ingredient in other food products. Most
hulls are used as turkey bedding, though some are ground into
pellets to provide fiber in animal feed.
Trade
The sunflower industry in the United States initially evolved to
export seed to Europe, which was the world's largest export market.
Two-thirds of U.S. sunflowerseed production between 1970 and 1985
was exported. In subsequent years, U.S. exports of sunflowerseed
declined as global competition for sunflower exports increased
(primarily in Argentina), and Europe, the primary importer of
sunflowerseed, rapidly increased its own production (for more
information, see Oilseeds: Background for 1995 Farm
Legislation). Global increases in planted acres and yield
improvement, coupled with increased crush capacity near production
areas, dramatically decreased world trade in sunflowerseed from
2000 onward. By 2008/09, U.S. sunflowerseed exports were primarily
sent to Canada, Japan, and Mexico.
Between 1980/81 and 2000/01, sunflower oil exports averaged a
quarter of a million metric tons annually, or 76 percent of U.S.
sunflower oil production. The Export Enhancement Program (EEP) and
the Sunflowerseed Oil Assistance Program (SOAP) supported strong
U.S. sales of sunflower oil to developing markets by providing
credit guarantees, export subsidies, and food aid. SOAP last
operated in 1996 and, though EEP remained active through 2007, EEP
program support for sunflower oil exports fell into disuse years
earlier.
With the end of government support programs, U.S. sunflower oil
producers faced strong competition from other exporting nations,
especially the rapidly maturing Argentine sunflower industry. In
2008/09, only 91,000 metric tons of sunflower oil were exported
from the United States, representing 31 percent of U.S. domestic
production. The industry has grown recently, owing to the adoption
of mid-oleic sunflower varieties, which produce trans-fat-free
oils. Production for mid-oleic sunflower oil production is buoyed
by support from some of the largest companies in the frying food
industry.
As exports of crude sunflower oil have declined, exports of
refined oil have risen. Since the late 1990s, the U.S. sunflower
industry added refining facilities to retain a higher share of
value-added processing. In 2003/04 the United States exported
24,000 metric tons of refined sunflower oil, and by 2008/09 that
total reached 81,000 metric tons, the majority of which was shipped
to Canada.
Exports of confectionary seed remain steady, despite increases
in world production, because U.S. seed is valued for its
consistently larger size and uniform quality. Spain and Turkey are
the primary destinations of U.S. in-shell confectionary seed
exports, with a handful of Middle East and European countries
importing the remainder. Half of U.S. shelled seed exports go to
Germany and the United Kingdom, and the remainder are sent to other
countries in the EU-27, Canada, and Mexico.
Consumption
Sunflowerseed
Roughly one-quarter of all sunflowerseed production is used to
produce birdseed. The 2006 National and State Economic Impacts of
Wildlife Watching survey
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that people spent $3.35
billion feeding wild birds, up 64 percent from 2001. Consumers
spent $2.7 billion on commercially prepared bird food, up 33
percent from 2001, with the rest spent on bulk wild bird food.
Sunflowerseeds are considered a premium birdfeed ingredient because
of their high oil content and thin hulls. Most birdfeed uses
oil-type sunflowerseed, though small confection seeds are also
used.
Confectionary sunflowerseeds are a familiar component of snack
products. Approximately 10-20 percent of U.S. sunflower production
is used in shelled kernels, whole seeds, and nut and fruit mixes
containing sunflowerseed. Kernels are also used in processed foods,
such as granola bars and breads. Confectionary sunflowerseed
competes with nut crops such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews,
and specialty grains such as millet and flax used in the production
of multi-grain breads.
Sunflower Oil
Domestic demand for sunflower oil has increased in recent years
as processors have built refineries and large buyers have committed
to future purchases. Food processors use the oil for frying foods
(including potato chips) and in salad and cooking oil, margarine,
and dairy substitutes. Sunflower oil is preferred in many
high-quality dining establishments for its neutral taste. A small
supply of high-oleic oil is used in industrial frying applications
where high temperatures require good oxidation stability. A small
amount of oil is also used in cosmetics, resins, and
lubricants.
Linoleic, high-oleic, and mid-oleic sunflower oils are sold in
the United States. Until recently, linoleic oil was the predominant
oil. Linoleic oil must be partially hydrogenated to maintain its
stability in various uses, a process that also creates trans fats.
Plant breeders began developing mid-oleic seed after research
uncovered a link between trans fats and heart disease. Today, the
majority of the sunflower oil supply is mid-oleic, which does not
require hydrogenation. Mid-oleic oil has no trans fats, low
monounsaturated fat, and a neutral taste. It is also more durable
than most other vegetable oils when used in industrial frying. Such
qualities make food processors willing to pay a premium for
sunflowerseed oil over soybean oil.
U.S. prices for sunflower oil generally move in unison with other vegetable oil
prices, 
with
sunflower oil commanding a premium. It is a common practice for
those trading sunflower oil to hedge in the soybean oil futures
market. Strong demand for sunflower oil in edible uses raises its
price and limits its use for producing biodiesel.
Sunflower Meal
Livestock, typically beef and dairy cattle, consume sunflower
meal as part of a feed ration. Sunflower meal is consumed near
crushing plants in North Dakota and Kansas in feedlots, and to a
lesser extent in dairy operations. Export demand for sunflower meal
is limited, with small amounts shipped to Canada.
The price of sunflower meal is generally discounted from other
protein meals, partly because of its lower protein content (28-38
percent vs. 44-49 percent for soybean meal). High fiber content and
limited availability of lysine (an important nutritional component
in swine and poultry production) also limit demand. Retaining the
hulls increases fiber content and meal volume, but lowers overall
feed energy value, which results in lower prices.
For More Information
- ERS
- Oil Crops Yearbook tables
- Table 20,
Sunflowerseed: Acreage planted, harvested, yield, production, and
value, U.S.
- Table 21,
Sunflowerseed: Supply, disappearance, and price, U.S.
- Table 22, Sunflowerseed
meal: Supply, disappearance, and price, U.S.
- Table 23, Sunflowerseed
oil: Supply, disappearance, and price, U.S.
- USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Commodity Statistics (Click on "Sunflower
Seed")
- National Statistics
- Link to Quick Stats, which contains data on planted and
harvested acreage, yield, production, and value at the National,
State, and county levels for both oil-type and confection (non-oil)
varieties
- Links to all recent reports on acreage, monthly marketings,
prices, production, stocks, and value
- Links to Sunflower county maps
- USDA, Farm Service Agency, daily and weekly sunflower prices