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

Understanding the Agricultural Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire smoke darkened skies across the Northeast for at least three consecutive days this July. Orange clouds were evidence of fires raging thousands of miles away in Ontario, Canada and northern Minnesota. While the duration and impact of wildfires have historically been concentrated in the Western United States, the issue is becoming a more frequent concern on the east coast. What impact does sustained wildfire smoke have on agriculture in our region?

August 7, 2026

burning dry grass in spring, air pollution due to burning dry grass

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Farm workers harvesting vegetables in a field near a red tractor with a wagon
Public Policy
House Ag Committee Chair Introduces Labor Legislation

Finding and retaining workers remains one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today. The H-2A program was created to provide a legal guestworker program to help agricultural employers address labor shortages. While participation has increased in recent decades, the program has struggled to keep pace with the needs of today’s operations. New federal legislation aims to modernize the H-2A program to better meet employers’ needs. 

 

August 25, 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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cow and calf stand in the pasture
Crop Insurance
Building Resilient Dairy Businesses: Key Takeaways from Crop Growers Dairy Producer Meeting

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.

May 14, 2026

Northeastern producer walking through his orchard
Business Tips and Tools
Mental Health Resources for Agriculture

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and for those in agriculture, recognizing the importance of mental health is crucial. The industry faces unique stressors like weather and economic uncertainty, coupled with the demanding nature of farm work. Farm Credit East and its partners are committed to providing tools and guidance to help farmers, fishers, foresters and their families manage these challenges.

May 12, 2026

Cows lined up eating feed
Crop Insurance
Reminder: June 30 Deadline to Change Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) Provider to Crop Growers
Crop Growers from Farm Credit East reminds dairy producers of the June 30, 2026, deadline to change their Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) provider. Producers can sign up for coverage at any time, but existing policies can only be transferred to a different provider once per year by the June 30 deadline. 

May 11, 2026

Aerial view of a drone flying over forest, monitoring and analyzing in forestry management.
Business Tips and Tools
Ag Tech Trends Shaping the Future of Farming

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.

May 05, 2026

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