Sunflower Production by State
The US produces 2.2B bu of sunflower across 6 states and 1.1M acres. North Dakota leads with 50.6% of production.
2.2B bu
Total Production
1.1M acres
Total Acreage
6
Producing States
What the Sunflower Data Shows
USDA NASS reports 2.2B bu of sunflower produced across 6 states on 1.1M acres, placing it among the major U.S. row crops by volume.
North Dakota alone accounts for 50.6% of U.S. sunflower production — 1.1B bu — making the national crop heavily dependent on a single state's growing season.
The top three states — North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota — together produce 94% of U.S. sunflower, so weather and planting decisions in just three states set the national supply.
The gap to second place is wide: South Dakota is the runner-up at 36.9% (817.2M bu), trailing North Dakota by 13.7 percentage points of national share.
Below the leaders, the rankings run to Kansas, the 6th tracked sunflower state at 37.2M bu (1.7% of the U.S. total); the second-largest producer, South Dakota, contributes 36.9%.
Top Sunflower Producing States
| # | State | Production | Acreage | % of US Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 1.1B bu | 485K acres | 50.6% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 817.2M bu | 435K acres | 36.9% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 137.6M bu | 50K acres | 6.2% |
| 4 | Texas | 58.5M bu | 41K acres | 2.6% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 44.2M bu | 30K acres | 2.0% |
| 6 | Kansas | 37.2M bu | 26K acres | 1.7% |
Other Crops
Frequently Asked Questions
North Dakota is the top sunflower producer, accounting for 50.6% of US production with 1.1B bu.
The US produces 2.2B bu of sunflower across 1.1M acres in 6 states.
Production data from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service surveys.
Source: USDA NASS Quick Stats, 2026.
Top Sunflower Producing States
50.6% of US sunflower — 1.1B bu
36.9% of US sunflower — 817.2M bu
6.2% of US sunflower — 137.6M bu
2.6% of US sunflower — 58.5M bu
2.0% of US sunflower — 44.2M bu
1.7% of US sunflower — 37.2M bu