NDSU Extension Updates Sunflower Production Guide Hans Kandel North Dakota growers continue to be the No. 1 producers of sunflowers in the U.S., harvesting 715,000 acres of the crop in 2020. Sunflowers are harvested for oil, confection uses and bird food. Each sunflower variety has distinctive agronomic characteristics that producers should consider when selecting a hybrid to grow. “Choosing a hybrid and using proper agronomic practices are important decisions a producer makes in raising a successful crop,” says Hans Kandel, a North Dakota State University Extension agronomist and co-editor of NDSU Extension’s recently revised “Sunflower Production Guide” (A1995). Oil type Maturity - Some hybrids can mature 10 or more days later than others.