Today’s Harvest Blog

Apple harvest is underway across New York, and growers are assessing yields, fruit quality, storage and marketing opportunities. It is also time to plan for next season. Beginning with the 2027 crop year, New York apple producers will gain a significant new risk management option: variety-specific crop insurance coverage. This improved option may allow growers to better align coverage with the varieties planted in their orchards.

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 is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to recognize today’s evolving online threats and the steps everyone can take to stay safer. Every day, cybercriminals develop new ways to steal information, access accounts and trick people into sending money. Technology continues to evolve, but many scams still rely on a simple tactic: convincing someone to trust the wrong person.

Are you a livestock or hay producer concerned about unpredictable weather affecting your forage production? Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance is an important risk management tool to protect your operation from insufficient precipitation (rainfall, snow, etc.), offering flexible coverage levels and automatic claims processing.