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| FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
(Supplied by David Lindell, Agronomy
Specialist (660)885-5556) July 20, 2000 FIELD DAY PLANNED FOR SUNFLOWER VARIETY TRIAL Missouri producers are invited to attend two sunflower field days planned for August 9 in Columbia and August 10 in Sedalia. Supported by the Jefferson Institute, twenty-three sunflower varieties are being compared at four locations in Missouri. The first field day is scheduled for 7 p.m. August 9 at the University of Missouri Bradford Farm east of Columbia. The second field day is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. August 10 at producer Larry Callis's farm two miles west of Highway 65 on 32nd Street in Sedalia. Anyone interested in sunflower production is invited to attend one of the scheduled field days. The field days will include the opportunity to view the variety trial, as well as information about production and marketing of sunflowers. At the Bradford Farm location, the field tour will show both full season and double crop sunflowers. Producers can also view several other alternative crops, including buckwheat, amaranth, kenaf, and dry edible beans. "Sunflower production is a unique opportunity for Missouri producers," said John Gardner, associate dean of extension at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. "Price is determined by the Dakota acreage and the distance from major markets. Since sunflowers are low in test weight, hauling distance is a major determinant in the net return. This provides a transportation advantage to Missouri producers selling to in-state buyers," says Gardner, who came to Missouri from North Dakota. "The advantages of an in-state market, combined with the relative ease with which sunflowers can be grown in Missouri, make sunflowers an excellent choice for producers looking to diversify their operation," said Rob Myers, executive director of the Jefferson Institute, a non-profit agricultural research and education center in Columbia. The field day is sponsored by the Jefferson Institute, in cooperation with the University of Missouri-Columbia. The Jefferson Institute, funded primarily by the USDA, helps Midwest farmers interested in crop alternatives. The Jefferson Institute works jointly with MU agricultural scientists to research and promote alternative crop options for producers. For more information, including maps to
the field day locations, contact the Jefferson Institute at
(573)449-8638. Source: John Gardner, (573)882-6385; Rob Myers,
(573)449-3518
About Thomas Jefferson
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