The Diverse Field Crops Cluster works with camelina, carinata, canaryseed, flax, hemp, mustard, quinoa and sunflowers
After five years of research through a time that included a drought and a pandemic, the Diverse Field Crops Cluster has issued a report on its achievements. Carol Ann Patterson, DFCC project manager, said researchers showed their resourcefulness in keeping projects going despite health restrictions. “People were shut down for a year sometimes or with […] Read more
Sunflower pollen linked to bumble bee health
Researchers have determined that the tiny spines on sunflower pollen grains significantly reduce parasite infection
Sunflowers, along with more than 180,000 different plant species and more than 1,200 crops, rely on insect pollinators that contribute more than $200 billion in annual ecosystem services globally. At the dinner table, one-third of our food is thanks to the role of pollinating insects.
Sunflower acres down; demand strong
John Sandbakken, executive director of the National Sunflower Association, said U.S. sunflower production jumped last year because of the war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine are major producers of sunflowers and the war pushed prices through the roof in the spring of 2022.
Prospects look good for special crops
The United States is the biggest importer of Saskatchewan mustard, which Rick Mitzel, executive director of SaskMustard, hopes will continue this year.
Canola price rides oilseed news wave
Canola futures prices have been on a wild ride of late. Nearby futures lost about $120 per tonne in the span of two weeks before rebounding slightly at the tail-end of the week ending March 24. “We’re seeing an exit of money from the long side of the market over the last month or so,” […] Read more
War dries up Europe’s access to vegetable oil
Ukraine’s sunflower oil exports have fallen by 15 percent since the Russian invasion began and Russia’s by 27 percent
The European Union needs to find a way to replace much of the vegetable oil it used to import from Ukraine, says an industry official. Loic Boucher, Corteva Agriscience’s oilseed marketing lead for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said Ukraine is a major global exporter of the commodity. And the European Union is its […] Read more
High-oleic sunflower production comes up short
High-oleic sunflower production is way down in Ukraine, and that presents a marketing opportunity for Canada’s high-oleic canola growers, says an industry official. UkrAgroConsult is reporting that Ukraine’s high-oleic sunflower acres are down 55 percent in 2022-23 compared to last year. The country’s sunflower harvest is just wrapping up. Ukraine is the world’s leading supplier […] Read more
Sunflowers like specialized headers
A number of companies were at the recent Big Iron Show in Fargo with headers that claim to boost sunflower profits
FARGO, N.D. — Although sunflowers can be successfully harvested with a conventional header, a specialized sunflower header will always put more seeds in the tank, according to a North Dakota State University website. A variety of special sunflower headers were inspected by sunflower growers at the Big Iron Show in September. Hamilton Systems in Drayton, […] Read more
Ukraine war delivers blow to snack food sector
Reduced sunflower oil exports cause headaches for manufacturers as they change labels to accommodate new oils
The war in Ukraine dropped a bomb on snack food manufacturers, says an industry official. “The supply chain was already fragile,” said Christine Cochran, president of SNAC International, which represents various stakeholders in the industry. “What the war in Ukraine did was take a fragile system and further degrade it.” Ukraine accounts for nearly half […] Read more
War delivers blow to snack food sector
The war in Ukraine dropped a bomb on snack food manufacturers, says an industry official. “The supply chain was already fragile,” said Christine Cochran, president of SNAC International, which represents various stakeholders in the industry. “What the war in Ukraine did was take a fragile system and further degrade it.” Ukraine accounts for nearly half […] Read more
