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

Farm Labor Policy in Transition: Updates on SAWA, H-2A and AEWR

This month's Knowledge Exchange Partner article explores how proposed H-2A reforms and recent wage-rate changes could affect Northeast agricultural employers, including workforce access, labor costs, program flexibility and compliance—and what these evolving policies may mean for the future of farm labor.

October 5, 2026

Farm workers harvesting vegetables in a field near a red tractor with a wagon

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Apple on tree
Crop Insurance
Harvest Is Here. Could Variety-Specific Coverage Better Protect Your Apple Crop?

Apple harvest is underway across New York, and growers are assessing yields, fruit quality, storage and marketing opportunities. It is also time to plan for next season. Beginning with the 2027 crop year, New York apple producers will gain a significant new risk management option: variety-specific crop insurance coverage. This improved option may allow growers to better align coverage with the varieties planted in their orchards.

October 26, 2026

Featured Webinar

Ripe juicy red apples in a container. Production facilities of large warehouse - grading, packing and storage of crops.
Business Tips and Tools
Apple Industry Outlook Webinar
Join Farm Credit East and Horizon Farm Credit as they host Chris Gerlach of USApple for a discussion on the prevailing trends and forces shaping the U.S. apple industry.

April 15, 2027

All from Knowledge Exchange

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Two agronomists checking the quality of a corn crop.
Business Tips and Tools
Data, Dollars and Decisions: Turning Financial Data into Confident Farm Decisions

Farmers have more production and financial data than ever, but using it effectively is the real challenge. Learn how partial budgeting can help evaluate investments, weigh income and expenses, and make confident business decisions. The GenerationNext program helps producers build the financial management skills needed to strengthen their farms for the future.

October 06, 2026

Small business owner going through paperwork with her workers at garden center.
Business Tips and Tools
Higher ARC and PLC Payments Are Coming: What Could They Mean for Your Farm?

For many crop producers, USDA's 2025 Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments are expected to arrive beginning in October 2026. While these payments can provide valuable financial support, they may also create new planning opportunities and tax considerations for your farm.

September 28, 2026

A young farmer talking to another individual with a tablet in a crop field with green netting
Business Tips and Tools
Northeast Farmers: What to Know About New Disaster Recovery Grant Programs

Northeast farmers have faced significant challenges from severe weather events in recent years. For producers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine impacted by weather-related losses in 2023 and 2024, funding has been made available to help recover losses, rebuild operations and strengthen long-term business resilience. The program is funded through USDA resources and administered by state departments of agriculture.

September 04, 2026

A person stands in the middle of a lush green cornfield with arms crossed, wearing a plaid shirt over a white top. Tall corn plants stretch into the distance under a partly cloudy sky.
Business Tips and Tools
The Next Generation of Farm Leadership Starts Here

Leadership. It’s a subject countless books, articles, podcasts and TikToks address every day. We seem to spend a lot of time talking about leadership, which might just mean that it is important. The importance of having strong and effective leadership skills in an agricultural business is why we start with the subject in the GenerationNext Seminar Series. 

September 02, 2026

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