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

Forest Products Industry Outlook: Softwood Markets Set to Stabilize in 2026

In this month’s Knowledge Exchange Partner article, Paul Jannke of Forest Economic Advisors, LLC delivers a compelling look at what’s ahead in the 2026 Forest Products Industry Outlook, spotlighting signs of momentum across lumber and pulp markets. Strengthening housing starts, steadier capacity, and gradual price gains point to an industry regaining its footing, even as long‑term structural pressures and shifting trade dynamics continue to shape the competitive landscape.

March 3, 2026

Timber harvesting in a forest

Latest From Today's Harvest Blog

Harvested oysters in a mesh basket by body of water
Business Tips and Tools
The Road Ahead for Oyster Growers: Trends, Risks and Opportunities for 2026

The U.S. oyster industry’s current landscape is shaped by decades of regulatory progress, rapid production innovations and shifting market pressures. As growers head into 2026, understanding the forces behind today’s rules, technologies and economic trends is essential for making informed business decisions. In a recent Farm Credit East webinar, Bob Rheault, executive director of East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, shared the key challenges and opportunities for the oyster industry. 

March 10, 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

Join Farm Credit East, Horizon Farm Credit and Chris Gerlach of the U.S. Apple Association to discuss the future of the apple industry. This webinar will take a deep dive into the prevailing trends and forces shaping the U.S. apple industry.

April 16, 2026

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Tag: labor 
Small business owner going through paperwork with her workers at garden center.
Business Tips and Tools
New York State Secure Choice Savings Program: Helping Employees Save for Their Future

The New York State Secure Choice Savings Program is New York's retirement savings program for private-sector employees who do not have access to a retirement plan at work. This new program provides an easy and simple way for workers in the state to save for the future.

December 02, 2025

Farm workers harvesting vegetables in a field near a red tractor with a wagon
Business Tips and Tools
Key Updates to H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates for Northeast Agricultural Employers

On October 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a new Interim Final Rule (IFR) that significantly revises how Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) are calculated for H-2A guestworkers. AEWRs set the minimum hourly wages that must be paid to H-2A workers and those in corresponding employment. This rule introduces major changes affecting wage structures across Farm Credit East’s eight-state region, with important implications for farm operations and labor management.

November 04, 2025

Woman Farmer Drinking Water in Shade During Harvest Hard Work on Potatoes Field
Business Tips and Tools
Staying Safe in Hot Weather

As the Northeast experiences more extreme weather, heat stress is a growing concern for farmers and farm workers. Because they spend significant time outdoors doing physically demanding work, this population is particularly vulnerable to heat-related health effects. 

June 26, 2025

Family, farm and cattle with a girl and father walking on a field or grass meadow in the agricultural industry.
Business Tips and Tools
Vermont Saves Retirement Savings Program

Vermont Saves is a retirement savings program created to give an option to employers that do not offer retirement benefits. The Vermont Saves Program allows employees to contribute to their own Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) through automatic payroll deductions. 

 

April 01, 2025

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