Ag Industry Trends & Outlooks

In agriculture, change is a constant. With the many variables those in agriculture deal with each day — weather, wildlife, disease, markets, consumer preferences — technology may be one of the easier variables to adapt, adopt and hopefully add value to the operation for the long term. In fact, farmers are often early adopters of new technologies, but what benefits can new technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), bring to an operation? Let’s break it down.

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced that the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) will expand coverage to include several fruits for the 2025 crop year and increase premium support to make the coverage more affordable. The ECO will now include apples, blueberries and grapes, providing new coverage opportunities for Northeast fruit producers.  

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) recently announced expansion of its perennial crop insurance coverage in New Jersey to include grape producers in additional counties and producers in select counties can now obtain coverage for their clams. This expansion will allow Crop Growers, Farm Credit East’s insurance provider, to provide important coverage to mitigate risk for more New Jersey producers.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Farm Credit East is committed to providing awareness of common online threats like fake emails (phishing or spoofing), harmful software (malware), and trickery (social engineering), as well as providing the resources and support you need to understand and navigate these challenges. Learn how you can protect yourself.