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

Beef cow in a green pasture
Crop Insurance
The Importance of Dairy and Other Livestock Insurance

With severe weather and natural disasters becoming increasingly common, safeguarding your agricultural investments is more crucial than ever. Discover how Crop Growers, Farm Credit East’s insurance provider, is empowering farmers with innovative insurance products like Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP).

September 03, 2024

Middle aged woman completing tax paperwork
Tax Talks
Navigating Charitable Contributions Post-TCJA

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017 and in effect from 2018 – 2025 has had a substantial effect on itemizing deductions. The resulting changes have impacted the tax consequences of making charitable contributions, especially for senior citizens. A remedy to this can be to use Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) from an IRA account.

August 28, 2024

House with damaged roof with plastic covering it and tree that fell on it piled up in foreground - storm aftermath
Business Tips and Tools
Emergency Assistance for New York Homeowners Impacted by Hurricane Debby

In the wake of Hurricane Debby, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a comprehensive emergency assistance program to support homeowners in Allegany, Delaware, Franklin, Steuben and St. Lawrence counties. This initiative, spearheaded by New York Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), aims to provide critical repairs and financial support to those affected by the storm.

August 20, 2024

A row of eight to ten black beef cows standing in a grass field
Crop Insurance
Safeguarding Your Livestock Investment

In the ever-changing landscape of agriculture, farmers are constantly seeking ways to mitigate risk and protect their livelihoods. Livestock Risk Protection is an important risk management tool to safeguard your livestock investment. 

August 13, 2024

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