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

Farm workers harvesting vegetables in a field near a red tractor with a wagon
Public Policy
House Ag Committee Chair Introduces Labor Legislation

Finding and retaining workers remains one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today. The H-2A program was created to provide a legal guestworker program to help agricultural employers address labor shortages. While participation has increased in recent decades, the program has struggled to keep pace with the needs of today’s operations. New federal legislation aims to modernize the H-2A program to better meet employers’ needs. 

 

August 25, 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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Cow milking facility and mechanized milking equipment
Knowledge Exchange Partner
Dairy Industry Outlook: Dairy continues to be a growth category

This month’s Knowledge Exchange Partner article, contributed by Corey Geiger and Abbi Prins of CoBank, takes a broad look at the forces shaping today’s U.S. dairy landscape. Significant processing investments, shifting product demand, and evolving market signals are creating both opportunities and new challenges for producers. As the industry adapts to these dynamics, strategic planning and flexibility will be essential for long‑term success.

January 08, 2026

Board room with Farm Credit East logo
Farm Credit
2026 Director Election Petition Notification
Farm Credit East’s bylaws provide for the nomination of candidates by petition. To gain access by petition, an eligible nominee must provide the secretary of the association with signatures of at least 50 voting members by Thursday, January 22, 2026.

January 07, 2026

Two people talking a selfie with a group of people in the backl
Farm Credit
A Day in the Life of an Appraiser: Spotlight on Young Professional Member Emily Ooms

Farm Credit East is committed to the next generation of agriculture. As part of that commitment, we’re also committed to growing and developing our team alongside the unique needs of the industries we serve. To develop that next generation of leaders, Farm Credit East offers a Young Professionals (YP) program. 

January 05, 2026

Five females walking alongside greenhouse
Farm Credit
Delivering Value through Culture
Discover how Farm Credit East is optimizing its culture to return more value to customers and rural communities. As the cooperative heads into 2026, see how these cultural fundamentals are shaping a brighter future for both customers and the Northeast’s agricultural community.

January 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