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

Dairy Markets Show Positive Trends

In this month’s Knowledge Exchange Partner article, Corey Geiger of CoBank, reviews the U.S. dairy markets. It enters the rest of 2026 with renewed optimism as improving margins, strong protein demand, and record export activity reshape the outlook. At the same time, rapid butterfat growth, global uncertainty, and market volatility signal the need for strategic risk management ahead.

May 3, 2026

 herd of cows eating hay and man in barn on dairy farm

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Blooming apple orchard in agricultural field, in summer sun with anti-hail netting for protection against weather factors.
Crop Insurance
USDA’s New ASCF Program: What Specialty Crop Growers Should Know (and Do) Right Now

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

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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Tax Talks
Crop Insurance Tax Treatment Options for a Challenging Year

2023 has been a challenging year for farmers, and many may see payments from their crop insurance policies or federal crop disaster payments. This Tax Talks blog reminds producers that crop insurance proceeds and crop disaster payments must be reported as income.

August 29, 2023

upward view from forest floor of tree canopy
Business Tips and Tools
Vermont Foresters: Complete the Economy Loss & Damage Survey

The extended period of rainy weather in July and August and major flooding on July 10 has severely impacted many Vermonters. One sector that has been experiencing major impacts from the weather is Vermont’s forest economy. The Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation developed a survey specific to this sector that will assist state agencies and elected officials in determining how to respond. 

August 22, 2023

Rows of corn crop in a large field with sun in the background
Crop Insurance
Risk Management Agency Expands the Margin Protection Program
Farm Credit East is pleased the Risk Management Agency (RMA) has approved the expansion of the Margin Protection Program for the 2024 crop year. This expansion will be beneficial to many Northeast growers and producers of corn and soybeans.

August 21, 2023

Split image, left side has rows of corn, right side is an above view of pints of multi-colored tomatoes
Business Tips and Tools
Helping Producers Navigate Funding Sources

Grants can be a great resource to provide additional funds needed to take on larger projects, but they’re often under-utilized because they can be time consuming and involve quite a bit of paperwork. To help Northeast agricultural producers navigate funding options, Farm Credit East recently released an update to its report, Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture. 

August 15, 2023

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