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

Understanding the Agricultural Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire smoke darkened skies across the Northeast for at least three consecutive days this July. Orange clouds were evidence of fires raging thousands of miles away in Ontario, Canada and northern Minnesota. While the duration and impact of wildfires have historically been concentrated in the Western United States, the issue is becoming a more frequent concern on the east coast. What impact does sustained wildfire smoke have on agriculture in our region?

August 7, 2026

burning dry grass in spring, air pollution due to burning dry grass

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Colorful bell peppers in shades of red, green, and orange growing on plants in a greenhouse, with ripe peppers in focus and a softly blurred background.
Crop Insurance
Fresh Market Pepper Coverage Expands in the Northeast: What It Means for Producers

The USDA Risk Management Agency has expanded fresh market pepper crop insurance coverage to additional counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, offering producers enhanced risk management tools aligned with production cycles and market conditions.

August 12, 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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brown cows in a barn eating
Crop Insurance
Stay Up To Date With The Dairy Markets Insights Newsletter

 The dairy industry is ever changing, and there is constantly news being thrown at us in all different directions. Our weekly dairy market insights newsletter is curated by the Crops Growers dairy and livestock team to keep you up to date on markets and current events impacting your dairy operation.

April 18, 2024

Flatbed wagon in a sod farm field at sunset
Ag Economy
2024 Forecast for the Northeast Green Industry

Farm Credit East recently hosted a webinar with Dr. Charlie Hall, of Texas A&M University, to review green industry (including nursery, greenhouse and sod industries) operational and financial performance in 2023 and provide a 2024 outlook. Read on for the key takeaways from this webinar. 

April 16, 2024

Branden Holdsworth
Crop Insurance
Branden Holdsworth Joins Farm Credit East to Help Aroostook County Farmers Manage Risk

Farm Credit East and Crop Growers, the financial cooperative’s crop insurance provider, is pleased to announce that Branden Holdsworth, of Caribou, Maine, has joined the Crop Growers team as a crop insurance agent serving Aroostook County, Maine. 


April 15, 2024

Adult male farmer sitting on open trunkbed in a crop field using a laptop
Tax Talks
Life Insurance Redemptions Falling Under IRS Scrutiny

In the context of farming business structures, acquiring a life insurance policy is a prevalent practice. Here are two common scenarios and an update on an ongoing Supreme Court case involving the IRS concerning the valuation of businesses when insurance payouts are implicated and whether such proceeds are deemed liabilities or not.

April 11, 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