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

Close-up of a U.S. Treasury tax refund check and IRS form 1042-S on top of a financial statement. Symbol of federal tax return and income reporting.
Tax Talks
Federal Government to Phase Out Paper Checks: What It Means for You

Early in 2025, the federal government announced an Executive Order aimed at modernizing how federal payments are handled. Under Executive Order 14247, signed in March 2025, all federal disbursements and receipts will transition to electronic formats by September 30, 2025. This change will impact individuals, businesses and organizations that receive or make payments to the federal government. 

September 30, 2025

Female farmer working on a laptop in sunflower field
Business Tips and Tools
Top Three Reasons to Take GenerationNext: An Instructor’s Perspective

GenerationNext is a seminar series designed to help emerging agricultural professionals — particularly those in farming, fishing or forest product businesses — develop essential management and business skills. I’ve taught several sessions over the course of my Farm Credit East career, and here’s the value I believe participants gain from GenerationNext. 

September 23, 2025

Ripe juicy red apples in a container. Production facilities of large warehouse - grading, packing and storage of crops.
Crop Insurance
The Importance of Production Records when Insuring your Apple Crop

With harvest upon us, apple bins are being filled and moved into storage. While this is a busy time of year for growers, it’s important to ensure you are proactively keeping track of production. We all have different ways to capture production information — whether it be a software with bin tags, hard copy logs from each trucker or sales records. The most important thing is the record keeping is done accurately.  

September 15, 2025

Farm Credit East Young Professional Group sitting on a panel discussion with the Board of Directors
Farm Credit
Empowering the Future: A Look Inside Farm Credit East’s Young Professionals Program

At Farm Credit East, our focus is always on delivering value to our customers. That starts with a strong, engaged team behind the scenes — employees who are connected, curious and committed to moving our mission forward. Farm Credit East’s Young Professionals program is one way we foster that mindset.

September 09, 2025

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