Today’s Harvest Blog

Today’s Harvest is a valued, timely resource for stories, news, tips and information relevant to Northeast agriculture and our customers.
Farm tractor in a field during the fall harvest

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Farm Credit

Employee Spotlight: A Day in the Life of Tax Specialist Phil Murphy

Elisabeth Olcott

As a tax specialist with Farm Credit East's Financial Accounting Services (FAS) team, Phil helps agricultural businesses navigate everything from annual tax preparation and year-end planning to farm transitions and succession planning. While tax season is certainly a busy time, his work extends far beyond April deadlines. 

November 3, 2026

Photo of Phil Murphy, Fam Credit East Tax Specialist

Latest Tax Talk

Close-up of a fuel pump showing diesel and gasoline grade buttons, with the Tax Talks logo.
Tax Talks
Update: Diesel Fuel Tax Provisions

Earlier this month, Executive Order, Emergency Tax Relief on Diesel Fuel, was signed by the President with the purpose of deferring certain diesel fuel tax payment obligations and to provide penalty relief. As a result, the IRS acted and indicated it will not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on highways nationwide. 


October 22, 2026

Today's Harvest Blog

Flooded corn field with tractor tire marks, blue skies
Crop Insurance
Assistance Available for Connecticut Producers Impacted by Flooding and Hail

Following recent flooding and hail events across Connecticut, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering the following programs to assist impacted farmers and livestock producers.

September 17, 2024

Agriculture robotic and autonomous car working in smart farm, Future 5G technology with smart agriculture farming concept
Innovation and Emerging Markets
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

AI’s integration into agriculture offers numerous benefits, from cost savings to improved sustainability and productivity, making it a transformative force in the industry. AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data quickly has led to significant advancements in agrifood systems.

 

September 10, 2024

Beef cow in a green pasture
Crop Insurance
The Importance of Dairy and Other Livestock Insurance

With severe weather and natural disasters becoming increasingly common, safeguarding your agricultural investments is more crucial than ever. Discover how Crop Growers, Farm Credit East’s insurance provider, is empowering farmers with innovative insurance products like Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP).

September 03, 2024

Middle aged woman completing tax paperwork
Tax Talks
Navigating Charitable Contributions Post-TCJA

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017 and in effect from 2018 – 2025 has had a substantial effect on itemizing deductions. The resulting changes have impacted the tax consequences of making charitable contributions, especially for senior citizens. A remedy to this can be to use Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) from an IRA account.

August 28, 2024

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