ABSTRACT
Virtually all research and development projects involving familiar oilseeds have emphasized technical considerations, such as the best chemical and physical form of the oil, its effects on engine wear, and end-use efficiency and atmospheric emissions. The prospect of using sunflower oil as a fuel may stimulate even further expansion into areas adjacent to the original producing areas (Northern Plains and Texas), including the western Corn Belt. This chapter examines the economic attractiveness of various oilseeds in a more systematic way than simply by using current prices. The major oilseeds produced in the United States are examined from several viewpoints: Ratio of value of the oil to the non-oil (feed) value, Implications of this ratio for the price and supply response to an increased demand for the oil for fuel, Implications for the comparative suitability of soybean and sunflower for on-farm processing. If cottonseed is considered without the lint, it would be similar to sunflower and peanut.
