Sunflowers have a long history in Missouri, dating back at least a thousand years to when they were cultivated in fields by Native Americans. Although modern sunflower cultivars were not grown widely in the U.S. until the 1970s, there were tests of sunflower oilseed processing by the Southeast Missouri Sunflower Growers’ Association in Missouri in 1926. Sunflowers are well adapted to Missouri conditions, even though their primary production has lately been in the Northern and Western Plains. Sunflower acreage has been increasing over the last few years in Missouri, with several thousand acres now produced. The growing size of the sunflower market, both for oilseed and birdseed uses, is creating new opportunity to add sunflowers to crop rotations in Missouri. Sunflowers can be planted from April through July, including as a double crop after wheat.

Address: 601 W. Nifong Blvd., Suite 1D, Columbia, MO 65203
Telephone: 573.449.3518
Fax: 573.449.2398
Website: http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/sunflower.php