Growing with San Juan Bioenergy

Dryland Production

Sunflower is an excellent crop to boost growers’ dryland production bottom line. Despite low rainfall and winter time snow moisture in 2006 and 2007, sunflower continued to outperform wheat and beans as it did in the much stronger moisture year of 2005. Crop budgeting analysis and and these three years of crop results in the Four Corners area show that sunflower is an excellent option to include in many dryland rotations. Sunflower also has generally low variable costs (often just three passes – plant, cultivate, and harvest), can be grown irrigated with less water than most other crops and still obtain competitive yields, and is tolerant of alkaline and sandy soils.

Crop	Yield	Basis	Price	Gross
Sunflower	900 lbs/acre	Aug ‘08 offer	20.0¢/lb	$180.00
Wheat	16.5 bu/acre	May ‘08 price	$8.10/bu	$134.00
Beans	500 lbs/acre	May ‘08 price	33¢/lb	$165.00

 

Irrigated Production

Sunflower and canola make good rotation crops for alfalfa hay and other grasses. When its time to tear out a stand of hay past its prime, sunflower and potentially canola are excellent options, such as in the 6th or 7th year after planting of the alfalfa stand. Crop budgeting analysis suggest that SJB’s oil seed crop needs will be more profitable than growing oats or barley as the rotation crop for alfalfa. Sunflowers are generally drought tolerant, and can give good yields with less irrigation as well.

Crop	Yield	Basis	Price	Gross
Sunflower	2200 lbs/acre	Aug ‘08 offer	20.0¢/lb	$440
Oats	90 bu/acre	Mar ‘08 price	3.97/bu	$357

For inquires about contracting for oil seed crop production, or more general information about San Juan Bioenergy, please contact:
Jeff Berman, San Juan Bioenergy General Manager: 970-422-2025, info@sanjuanbioenergy.com

For questions on crop production practices, please contact:
Dan Fernandez, Colo. State University Dolores County Extension Office: 970-677-2283, info@sanjuanbioenergy.com

Contract Prices March 11, 2010

Crop	2009 Delivery	2010 Delivery
Conv. Mid Oleic Sunflower	$0.105 /lb	$0.110 /lb
Conv. Hi Oleic Sunflower	$0.130 /lb	$0.135 /lb
Org. Hi Oleic Sunflower	$0.235 /lb	$0.240 /lb
Conv. Hi Oleic Safflower	$0.110 /lb	$0.115 /lb
Org. Hi Oleic Safflower	$0.205 /lb	$0.205 /lb

* All prices delivered in to SJB's facility in Dove Creek unless otherwise negotiated.
* 2% premium for each 1% oil over 40% (both sunflower and safflower).
See contract for details.

Related Downloads

• 2009 Oil Seed Contract (pdf)
• Dryland Production Fact Sheet (pdf)