The UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Agricultural Issues Center (UC ANR) has released a study on the costs and returns of producing sunflowers for hybrid seed in the Sacramento Valley. Although acreage is relatively small (about 50,000 acres), sunflower seed is an important crop because California growers produce the seed for planting stock, destined to be planted in many areas around the world for oilseed and confectionary snack food markets.

The study estimates the cost of producing sunflowers on 200 acres, as part of a row crop rotation, using sub-surface drip irrigation. Input and reviews were provided by UC ANR Cooperative Extension Farm Advisors and other agricultural associates. Current costs for the sunflower crop were used, including material inputs and cash and non-cash overhead. A ranging analysis table shows profits over a range of prices and yields. Other tables show the monthly cash costs, the costs and returns per acre, hourly equipment costs, and the whole farm annual equipment, and investment and business overhead costs.

This study and other sample cost of production studies for many commodities are available through UC ANR. They can be downloaded from the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics website at http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu.

For additional information or an explanation of the calculations used in the studies, contact the Agricultural Issues Center at (530) 752-4651 or the Sacramento Valley based UCCE Farm Advisor authors, Rachael Long, rflong@ucanr.edu, Sarah Light, selight@ucanr.edu, and Mariano Galla, mfgalla@ucanr.edu.