Safflower Expanding Rapidly as Oilseed Crop

Acreage planted to safflower seed in the United States has increased sharply since 1957, with a large part of the expansion occurring in the Great Plains area. According to trade estimates, 420,000 acres were planted to this oilseed crop in 1961, and preliminary estimates place the 1962 acreage at around 600,000. In recent years, safflower has come into the limelight as an edible vegetable oil mainly because it contains a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids than other fats and oils. The food oil market appears to offer the greatest potential for the future development of safflower in this country