Today’s Harvest Blog

For dairy farmers in the Northeast, profitability depends on factors outside their control. Milk prices fluctuate while production costs continue to rise. When milk prices fall below the cost of production, the financial pressure can be considerable and, ultimately, create the conditions that lead to dairy farm exits. 

After nearly three years of short-term extensions, Congress is once again debating and drafting comprehensive farm legislation. In May, the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), while in late June Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (AR) released the Agricultural Act of 2026, a “discussion draft” providing the Senate a starting point for negotiation with other committee members. 

The U.S. apple industry is moving a lot of fruit, but profitability is being squeezed by heavy supply, stubborn demand and rising costs. Farm Credit East recently hosted a webinar with Chris Gerlach of USApple for an overview of the industry. The following are key points growers should be aware of as they plan orchard decisions, labor and marketing for the season ahead. 

Last week, Crop Growers and Farm Credit East welcomed dairy and livestock producers to Syracuse, New York, for an evening focused on market outlooks, industry trends and strategies to help build resilient farm businesses in today’s evolving environment.