Damage to Dakotas Sunflower Crop to be Determined

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — The sunflower industry is working to determine the amount of damage to this year's crop in the nation's two top-producing states.

An early October blizzard flattened all or part of many sunflower fields in North Dakota and South Dakota. National Sunflower Association Executive Director John Sandbakken tells Agweek there is still a lot of crop that can be salvaged, but there are some areas that farmers won't be able to harvest.

The blizzard came at a time when farmers were talking about the possibility of a bumper crop because a frost-free September had given the sunflowers more time to develop.

Sandbakken says a long stretch of warm, dry weather now would help the crop.