The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that, for the 2024/25 marketing year, U.S. farmers planted the smallest sunflower acreage on record. The drop in acreage is by nearly half compared to last year.
The largest decrease occurred in acreage dedicated to oil-type sunflowers, primarily used for oil production and bird feed. Typically, oil-type sunflowers make up close to 90% of total sunflower acreage, but in 2024/25, they are expected to represent just 83%.
This reduction in acreage has been most pronounced in North Dakota and South Dakota, the top two sunflower-producing states. The decline is largely due to reduced profitability compared to other oilseeds like canola and soybeans. By the end of the 2023/24 season, sunflower stocks reached their highest levels since 2016/17, translating to the lowest average farm price since 2019/20. Additionally, the expansion processing facilities in North Dakota has driven new domestic demand for of canola and soybean, supporting a shift in planted acres from sunflowers to more profitable crops.
Sunflower yields in 2024/25 are forecast to reach record highs per acre due to favorable growing conditions in the Dakotas. However, total sunflower production, targeted at 1.3 billion pounds, will likely be the lowest since 1976/77.
Sunflower production in the United States has experienced notable fluctuations in recent years, influenced by factors such as market dynamics, crop profitability, and climatic conditions.
According to the USDA’s January 2024 Annual Crop Production report, U.S. sunflower production in 2023 totaled approximately 2.26 billion pounds, a 19% decrease from 2022. The average yield per acre was 1,786 pounds, an increase of 30 pounds from the previous year. Planted area stood at 1.32 million acres, 22% below the prior year, with harvested area decreasing by 21% to 1.27 million acres. North Dakota remained the leading sunflower-producing state, with a total production of 1.12 billion pounds, a 16% decline from 2022. South Dakota followed, producing 817 million pounds, a 25% decrease from the previous year.
