Ag Industry Trends & Outlooks

Discover insights, trends, ag market outlooks and other topical information as it relates to the Northeast's diverse agricultural industries. Brought to you by Knowledge Exchange from Farm Credit East.
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Knowledge Exchange Partner

Knowledge Exchange Partner

United States Citizenship and Immigration Service Clears H-2A Path for Dairy Employers

A new USCIS policy is opening the door for dairy producers to access the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program, a workforce option that has long been out of reach for year-round dairy operations. This month’s Knowledge Exchange Partner discusses how the updated guidance could help dairies address labor shortages, support seasonal workforce planning and navigate new petition requirements moving forward. Republished with permission courtesy of Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys at Law.

July 7, 2026

Cow milking facility and mechanized milking equipment

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

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Public Policy
2026 Farm Bill Takes Shape: Comparing the House and Senate Proposals

After nearly three years of short-term extensions, Congress is once again debating and drafting comprehensive farm legislation. In May, the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), while in late June Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (AR) released the Agricultural Act of 2026, a “discussion draft” providing the Senate a starting point for negotiation with other committee members. 


July 7, 2026

Featured Webinar

A display of red ripe Macoun apples - a sweet crisp eating apple from the Hudson Valley of New York State.
Business Tips and Tools
2026 Apple Industry Outlook Webinar
Farm Credit East and Horizon Farm Credit recently hosted Chris Gerlach of USApple for a discussion on the prevailing trends and forces shaping the U.S. apple industry.

April 16, 2026

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Tax Talks
Production Tax Credit – Complete Application for Registration by July 15

In a previous Tax Talks blog article, we talked about energy credits. An energy credit not discussed is the Production Tax Credit (PTC) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 45Z. This credit incentivizes the domestic production of sustainable transportation fuels, such as those that may be generated by an on-farm biomass digester, offering a per gallon tax credit for qualified fuels produced by the taxpayer and sold to an unrelated person. 

June 25, 2024

general economic
Business Tips and Tools
Business Basics for Beginning Farmers

One of the great things about owning or starting your own business is that you determine your business goals and how you want to achieve them. So, what are the business basics that help you remain profitable so you stay on track toward achieving your business goals?

June 18, 2024

Grapes frost damage. Frost Grape by slight frost winter injury.
Crop Insurance
Informational Webinar for Grape Producers Impacted by the April Freeze
Grape producers impacted by the late April freeze are invited to join Farm Credit East and Crop Growers, Farm Credit East’s insurance provider, for a free, informational webinar on Tuesday, June 25 at 11:00 a.m. ET, that will discuss the challenges following the freeze event and provide insights to navigate the insurance claim process.

June 18, 2024

Business Tips and Tools
2024 Beneficial Ownership Information Webinar

In this webinar Farm Credit East experts discussed the requirements of Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting including what entities are required to report, what entities are exempt, and how to determine who the beneficial owners are. We’ll cover the timelines for reporting, what information is needed to complete the filing, and when updates will be required to the initial filing. 

June 10, 2024

Northeast Economic Engine

Download Farm Credit East’s Northeast Economic Engine report, which analyzes the economic impact of the Northeast agriculture, forest products, commercial fishing and food manufacturing industries. This report was released in October 2024. 

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Cover of the 2024 Economic Impact report