Today’s Harvest Blog

Today’s Harvest is a valued, timely resource for stories, news, tips and information relevant to Northeast agriculture and our customers.
Farm tractor in a field during the fall harvest

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Crop Insurance

USDA’s New ASCF Program: What Specialty Crop Growers Should Know (and Do) Right Now

Jeremy Forrett

If you grow specialty crops, there’s a new USDA program worth your attention. The Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program was designed to help producers navigate the financial pressure many faced in 2025. Rising input costs, ongoing inflation and market disruptions all contributed to tighter margins. This program offers a one-time payment to help offset those challenges. 

June 2, 2026

Blooming apple orchard in agricultural field, in summer sun with anti-hail netting for protection against weather factors.

Latest Tax Talk

Tax Talks
Capital Construction Fund: A Fisherman’s Guide to Building for the Future

If you’re a commercial fisherman planning to build, buy, lease or rebuild a vessel, the Capital Construction Fund (CCF) can be one of the most powerful tax planning tools available to you. The CCF lets you set aside income today, defer federal income tax and use that money later to invest in your fishing business. Let’s discuss the details of this program.

 

May 26, 2026

Today's Harvest Blog

Two rural business owners looking at a tablet while standing in field with cows
Business Tips and Tools
Proactive Strategies for Business Success: Good Records & Budgeting

If the past several years have taught us anything, it’s that we need to be agile. While we can’t plan for the unexpected — and the unexpected will come — we can be informed and proactive. Planning ahead using available insights can help you strategically accomplish your business goals. So, what can you do today to set yourself up for success?

May 12, 2025

 herd of cows eating hay and man in barn on dairy farm
Crop Insurance
Managing Dairy Revenue Risk

The dairy industry is inherently unpredictable. Market fluctuations, weather conditions and production variables all contribute to an unstable income landscape for dairy farmers. Dairy Revenue Protection, commonly referred to as DRP, is a federally subsidized program designed to help dairy producers manage revenue risk. This program offers dairy farmers a way to protect against unexpected declines in quarterly revenue from milk sales.

May 06, 2025

Cow milking facility and mechanized milking equipment
Crop Insurance
Boosting Dairy Farm Resilience with Dairy Revenue Protection

Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) is a valuable tool to help dairy farmers mitigate the risks of the dairy industry, including market fluctuations, weather conditions, and production variables. By offering robust, flexible and affordable program options, DRP helps to stabilize incomes and support the sustainability of dairy operations.

May 06, 2025

A young farmer talking to another individual with a tablet in a crop field with green netting
Tax Talks
Spring into Tax Planning and Record Keeping

As field work and spring planting kicks off across the Northeast, many farmers are making significant investment in equipment, crop inputs and labor. These expenditures present opportunities for proactive tax planning and sound record keeping. By aligning your spring activities with tax efficient strategies, you can optimize deductions, manage cash flow effectively and set the stage for a smoother year-end process. 

April 30, 2025

Meet the Authors

Connect with and discover our Today’s Harvest blog authors and their broad range of financial and northeast agricultural expertise.