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

Onion harvester collecting onions and transferring them by conveyor into a truck.
Business Tips and Tools
What Producers Need to Know About USDA's New Harvest Fuel Relief Program

Harvest often provides the clearest picture of a farm's financial performance. This year, many producers are balancing strong yields with continued pressure from fuel, input and operating costs. To help address those challenges, USDA recently announced the new Harvest Fuel Relief Program (HFR), a one-time $8 billion assistance program for agricultural producers. 

October 21, 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

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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

Close up image of grain crop growing in a field ready for harvest
Crop Insurance
Reminder: Fall Crop Sales Closing Deadline is September 30
The deadline to insure fall crops in the Northeast for the 2027 crop year is September 30, 2026. Insurable fall crops include barley, forage production and wheat. Coverage availability varies by county. 

August 12, 2026

Mature red apple growing on tree branch
Crop Insurance
USDA Risk Management Agency Announces Emergency Claim Procedures for New York Apple Growers Following Spring Freeze

Following the devastating spring freeze that damaged apple orchards across key production regions, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced emergency procedures to accelerate crop insurance claim processing and indemnity payments for impacted New York apple growers.  

July 08, 2026

Couple of farmers examines the field of cereals
Crop Insurance
Understanding USDA’s Base Acre Review Opportunity: What Farmers Need to Know

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a significant opportunity for landowners to review and potentially increase their base acres under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. For many operations, this represents the first opportunity in more than two decades to align farm program base acres with more recent planting history. 

June 09, 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