# Sunflower Meal Deepens Protein Lead to 73% of Soybean Meal _Jul 16, 2026_ > Sunflower meal deepened its protein lead to 73% of soybean meal this week as corn and soybean benchmarks each gained more than 5%, repricing the full board. _Numbers as of Jul 16, 2026 pull._ Sunflower meal remained atop the protein leaderboard this week at **$0.245 per pound of crude protein** on a dry-matter basis, **73% of soybean meal's cost per pound**, per USDA feedstuffs data. That is two percentage points below the 75% reading in last week's issue. Both benchmarks moved sharply on the week: corn gained **5.2%** to **$4.26/bu** and soybeans gained **5.6%** to **$12.18/bu**, lifting the soybean meal anchor to roughly **$320/ton FOB** and repricing the full substitution board. [Chart: Sunflower meal price ($/ton, as-fed)](https://the-ration.com/ingredient/sunflower-meal) ([data](https://the-ration.com/ingredient/sunflower-meal.md) — chart image: https://the-ration.com/charts/ingredient/sunflower-meal/chart.png) - **Feather meal** is second on protein at **$0.255/lb crude protein, 76% of soybean meal**, dry-matter basis, per USDA. - **DDGS** at roughly **$163/ton** prices protein at **91% of soybean meal** and energy at **104% of corn**, cost per pound on a dry-matter basis, per USDA feedstuffs. - **Hominy feed** leads energy at **$0.076/lb TDN, 77% of corn**, dry-matter basis, per USDA. Soybean hulls (Kansas City region, FOB plant, **$80/ton**) follow at **$0.090/lb TDN, 92% of corn**. That price is **52% below the 5-year median**, per USDA. - **Yellow grease** (California) is running 50 to 92% above 5-year median levels, per USDA: Central Coast FOB **$62/ton** (+3% on the week, 92% above the median), San Joaquin Valley delivered **$65/ton** (+2%, 55% above), South California FOB **$62/ton** (+3%, 50% above). Corn closed at **$4.26/bu** (+5.2% on the week), about **$152/ton** plant input cost, and is 3% above its 5-year median per USDA. Soybeans at **$12.18/bu** are 5% above the 5-year median. Soybean meal is at roughly **$320/ton FOB**. Summer old-crop tightness and ethanol run rates continue to set the DDGS supply context for the season. **Data note:** 42 series including alfalfa pellets and almond hulls have not updated in more than two weeks per USDA AMS. Treat any figure flagged as stale as indicative only. --- Canonical URL: https://the-ration.com/issues/2026-07-16