Blooming Progress: Sunflower growers are happy about this year’s reconciliation package

The U.S. sunflower crop is shaping up well this year.

One group says things really turned around when the “Big, Beautiful Bill” was signed into law.

“One of the things that we spent a lot of time on was when Congress was working on the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’ The provisions there for the Farm Bill have just been phenomenal for our producers. We got higher reference prices, better crop insurance coverage, and loan rates were increased, and they could add some acres to their base acres, so we worked hard on that, and we’re thankful to see all that come to fruition. Honestly, the way the Farm Bill was progressing, I mean, it was going to be difficult to get something through Congress, so it was our best vehicle, and I’m glad it worked out,” said John Sandbakken.

Despite the wins in the reconciliation process, sunflower growers are still looking ahead to a new five-year Farm Bill.

Lawmakers are expected to tackle that when they return to the hill next month.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Midland County Junior Livestock Show in West Texas features swine competition with top exhibitors, including Grand Champion Brinley Wilson, ahead of Saturday’s premium sale.
Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana discusses how the Affordable Homes Act will benefit rural communities, and her broader efforts to improve access to affordable housing.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig discusses market conditions, policy priorities, and his outlook for agriculture moving forward.
NEFB President Mark McHargue recaps the Farm Bureau’s Annual Convention, producer sentiment in Nebraska, and discusses key issues facing agriculture.
Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota joined us to discuss key ag policy developments and his outlook for agriculture in 2026.
Agriculture Shows
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.