Today’s Harvest Blog

As agriculture continues evolving at a rapid pace, farmers face both exciting opportunities and complex decisions about which technologies truly add value. In a recent Farm Credit East webinar, Joe Waddell, Industry and Innovation Officer at Horizon Farm Credit, provided a comprehensive look at the trends shaping modern farming.

A short stretch of warm days in April may prompt and early start to the growing season for orchards and vineyards across the Northeast. Unfortunately, there is still a chance of low temperatures and frost which may lead to crop damage and potential loss. Producers with crop insurance need to know their next steps if damage is discovered.

The dairy industry continues to face a highly volatile environment. Milk prices, feed costs, global demand shifts and weather variability all contribute to uncertainty in farm revenue. While risk is unavoidable, how producers manage that risk can have a meaningful impact on long‑term profitability and financial stability.

From national economic trends to housing demand, lumber supply and global trade shifts, many economic forces are shaping the U.S. forest products industry. In a recent Farm Credit East webinar, Paul Jannke, of Forest Economic Advisors, provided an economic forecast pointing to a year of stability, modest growth and continued adjustment across the forest products sector. The following are the key insights from the webinar.