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

Business Tips and Tools

What Producers Need to Know About USDA's New Harvest Fuel Relief Program

Jeremy Forrett

Harvest often provides the clearest picture of a farm's financial performance. This year, many producers are balancing strong yields with continued pressure from fuel, input and operating costs. To help address those challenges, USDA recently announced the new Harvest Fuel Relief Program (HFR), a one-time $8 billion assistance program for agricultural producers. 

October 21, 2026

Onion harvester collecting onions and transferring them by conveyor into a truck.

Latest Tax Talk

Close-up of a fuel pump showing diesel and gasoline grade buttons, with the Tax Talks logo.
Tax Talks
Update: Diesel Fuel Tax Provisions

Earlier this month, Executive Order, Emergency Tax Relief on Diesel Fuel, was signed by the President with the purpose of deferring certain diesel fuel tax payment obligations and to provide penalty relief. As a result, the IRS acted and indicated it will not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on highways nationwide. 


October 22, 2026

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

Flooded corn field with tractor tire marks, blue skies
Crop Insurance
The Return of Prevented Planting Plus 5%: What Producers Need to Know

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has reinstated the Prevented Planting Plus 5% option for the 2027 crop year. Producers will once again have the opportunity to purchase an additional 5% of prevented planting coverage, providing greater protection when adverse weather prevents intended acres from being planted.

August 17, 2026

Colorful bell peppers in shades of red, green, and orange growing on plants in a greenhouse, with ripe peppers in focus and a softly blurred background.
Crop Insurance
Fresh Market Pepper Coverage Expands in the Northeast: What It Means for Producers

The USDA Risk Management Agency has expanded fresh market pepper crop insurance coverage to additional counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, offering producers enhanced risk management tools aligned with production cycles and market conditions.

August 12, 2026

Black and white Holstein dairy cows at feed trough in outside barn waiting to be fed by large feed truck driving by on a sunny day.
Ag Economy
New Report Examines Dairy Price Support Policies Across the Northeast

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. 

August 05, 2026

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