Current and Future Sunflower Production in the United States: Implications for Research and Extension

Excerpts from the report Preface: This paper was prepared to call to the attention of SEA Management and other decision-makers the unusual growth in the production and marketing of sunflower in the United States in the decade of the 1970's. Major breakthroughs that have accelerated the production and profitability of the crop have been noted. One of these breakthroughs was the development of high oilseed varieties of sunflower by Soviet scientists. The other major breakthrough was the development of high producing hybrid varieties by United States scientists. More importantly, the paper attempts to show the potential of the sunflower as an alternative cash crop for areas on the periphery of the Corn Belt where it can compete with soybeans. It also shows that sunflower has promise in the double-cropping systems especially in the South. The paper explores the feasibility of increasing research and extension resources in the expanded areas of production to solve production and marketing problems that are inherent when programs are expanded into new geographic areas. The results of this increased research and extension activity may be increased productivity for the producer, and possibly increased domestic and export trade for the sunflower and its products.