Double Crop Organic Sunflowers in Northern Illinois

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: sunflower, wheat

Practices

• Crop Production: crop rotation, double cropping
• Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns, feasibility study
• Production Systems: organic agriculture

Are double crop sunflowers a profitable option in organic systems in Northern Illinois?

Organic farms depend on diverse rotations to help manage pest and disease issues. The traditional organic crop rotation is corn - soybeans - small grain. In the Midwest, corn and soybeans are the primary cash crops. Small grains or forages are used in the rotation to help break up weed growth cycles and provide space in the summer for cover crops to grow. Small grains are often not as profitable and are often grown at financial loss or breakeven depending on fixed operation costs. While cover crops can provide much of the fertility needed for following seasons, the savings in fertility costs do not always make up for a loss in cashflow or profit in areas where land costs are high.

In some locations, soybeans can be grown as a double crop after wheat to provide an additional source of income on small grains acres. However, in areas north of Interstate 80, double crop soybeans become more risky due to early frosts and dry late summer periods. 

Our research focused on trying to grow oilseed sunflowers after soft red winter wheat to see if they they can be grown profitably as a double crop in the Northern Illinois environment within an organic production system. Sunflowers are reportedly more drought tolerant and less susceptible to an early frost than soybeans. Beyond the general ecological and soil health benefit of adding an additional crop species to a rotation, sunflowers help support native pollinators and can help break up soil compaction with their deep taproots.  They also provide a fun display of flowers for passers-by to enjoy in late summer.

Our research, conducted in 2021, explored if sunflowers can be grown profitably following winter wheat. Expenses were tracked across all field operations and income was calculated after the crop was sold and the settlement sheet received. Our research concluded that sunflowers may have the potential to provide a profit following winter wheat. Sub-optimal conditions such as a late planting date and less than adequate rainfall do make profitable sunflowers more difficult. 

1. Successfully establish oilseed sunflowers after harvesting winter wheat.
2. Evaluate the profitability of sunflowers grown as a double crop behind winter wheat.
3. Share findings through our YouTube channel, the IDEA Farm Network, and OGrain email group.