ENFIELD, Conn. — In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month, Farm Credit East announced that its Farm Credit East Cares Community Fund donated $40,000 to rural mental health initiatives throughout the Northeast.

Multiple organizations across Farm Credit East’s eight-state territory of New York, New Jersey, and New England will receive funds to support their work in providing mental health resources to rural communities. Agriculture faces unique stressors like weather and economic uncertainty, coupled with the demanding nature of farm work. Dedicated resources to support the well-being of farmers, fishers, foresters, and their families are critical to manage these challenges.

“Mental Health Awareness Month is an important reminder of the significance of mental wellness,” said Craig Pollock, Farm Credit East senior vice president and Farm Credit East Cares coordinator. “Through these donations, Farm Credit East aims to support those going through tough times and encourage the long-term success of the region’s agriculture industry.”

The Farm Credit East Cares Community Fund was established by Farm Credit East employees who raise contributions with a Farm Credit East match. The fund’s primary intent is to provide support for farm families and organizations impacted by disasters. Since 2011, Farm Credit East Cares has donated more than $1.5 million.

ENFIELD, Conn. — Farm Credit East is currently seeking creative images of modern Northeast agriculture, commercial fishing, and forest products to fill the pages of its 2027 Agricultural Views calendar. Upload picturesque images from the farm, woods, or dock at farmcrediteast.com/calendar by July 31 for a chance to win $100.

“Each year, we receive upwards of 800 images from dozens of talented photographers showcasing progressive agriculture operations,” said Kristie Matuszewski, Farm Credit East’s director of Marketing and Communications. “We look for fresh imagery that represents Northeast farming, horticulture, forestry, and commercial fishing during every season, as well as photographs that celebrate rural life in New England, New York, or New Jersey.”

Photos are selected based on technical quality, clarity, and composition, as well as photos that capture unique views of modern agriculture and rural life. From all entries, 14 photos will be selected for a $100 prize each. Additional photos will be selected to fill the calendar pages, each earning a $25 prize. Winning photographs will be featured in Farm Credit East’s 2027 calendar.

Only digital photos are accepted. Contest rules and an entry form, as well as inspiration from previous calendars, can be found at farmcrediteast.com/calendar.

ENFIELD, Conn. — Northeast apple growers are invited to attend a free webinar hosted by Farm Credit East and Horizon Farm Credit on Thursday, April 16 at noon. This webinar will provide a recap of the Northeast apple industry in 2025, as well as economic projections for the year ahead.

The webinar is free to attend, but registration is required at farmcrediteast.com/webinars.

For the past two years, many U.S. apple growers’ fresh apple prices haven’t covered the cost of production. Increased yields and declining exports have resulted in an oversupplied domestic market, forcing prices to break-even levels. Chris Gerlach of USApple will dive into what it will take to restore profitability through smarter production discipline, rebuilt export momentum, stronger health-driven demand, and more stable labor costs.

This webinar is part of Farm Credit East’s Insights and Perspectives series, which includes webinars and outlook papers for the diverse sectors of Northeast agriculture and forest products. Visit farmcrediteast.com/webinars to read the apple industry outlook report, along with articles and webinars for the grape, dairy, grain, maple, oyster, forestry and green industry sectors.

ENFIELD, Conn. — Farm Credit East reported solid 2025 financial results at its annual meeting held on March 23. Continued loan growth coupled with strong earnings allowed Farm Credit East to distribute a combined $145 million in patronage dividends to eligible customer-owners based on 2025 earnings.

“Our strong financial results over the past several years reinforce Farm Credit East’s ability to serve Northeast agriculture and rural communities, while continuing to evolve our cooperative to best serve customers into the future,” said Mike Reynolds, CEO of Farm Credit East.

In 2025, Farm Credit East’s net income grew to $367 million. Following more than two decades of growth, the cooperative closed out the year with $14.3 billion in loan volume and $2.6 billion in capital. This level of equity allows Farm Credit East to maintain competitive interest rates, while returning a portion of earnings to eligible customer-owners through patronage dividends.

“Continued strong financials are a reflection of customer-led growth coupled with trust in our talented team,” said John Knopf, Farm Credit East board chair. “The board remains committed to returning value to customer-owners while ensuring the long-term strength of the cooperative, and given 2025’s success, we were pleased to approve $145 million in patronage to members.”

ENFIELD, Conn. — Farm Credit East is now accepting applications for its Food Access Infrastructure Initiative Grant, which provides organizations with grants of up to $50,000 as they work to improve food security in the Northeast. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.

Farm Credit East’s Food Access Infrastructure Initiative financially supports organizations such as food banks, food hubs, and other nonprofit food distribution and infrastructure organizations as they implement new projects to further food access in the Northeast. The grant funds must be used for capital projects to improve infrastructure improvements, such as expanding cooler storage or increasing produce handling functionality.

Nominees should be based in Farm Credit East’s territory — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont — although nominees from outside the territory may be eligible if the initiative is positively impacting the rural areas of Farm Credit East’s territory.

Visit farmcrediteast.com/foodaccessgrant to learn more and apply, or email [email protected] for more information.

ENFIELD, Conn. — In conjunction with National Farmers Market Week, Farm Credit East announced its recent awarding of $76,500 in small grants to 141 farmers markets and farmers market organizations across the Northeast. Farm Credit East recognizes that farmers markets are an important channel for many of the region’s producers to distribute farm-fresh produce to both rural and urban consumers. Collectively, the farmers markets receiving grant funds support more than 2,000 producers.

The recipient farmers markets will use grant funds to support marketing efforts, complete market enhancements, or support participating farmers. Additionally, many markets will use funds to improve access to fresh, local food for those in underserved communities and supplement funds from programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

To celebrate National Farmers Market Week, taking place Aug. 3-9, Farm Credit East encourages everyone to show their support of agricultural businesses by buying produce from local farmers markets and roadside stands.

For a list of resources to find locations, visit Farm Credit East’s Farm Fresh Guide at farmcrediteast.com/farmfreshguide. The guide covers Farm Credit East’s eight-state territory of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

ENFIELD, Conn. — The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law on July 4, extends and amplifies the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for farmers and makes significant changes to agricultural safety net programs. To help Northeast agricultural producers understand the legislation’s impact, Farm Credit East is hosting a free informational webinar on Monday, July 21 at noon.

In this webinar, Farm Credit East tax and crop insurance experts will dive into the most relevant provisions for Northeast businesses and producers. The webinar will also cover impacts on agricultural programs, including commodity pricing and beginning farmer programs.

The webinar, titled “The One Big Beautiful Bill: Understanding the Northeast Agricultural Impact,” is free to attend. Register at farmcrediteast.com/webinars. Contact Chris Laughton at (800) 562-2235 or [email protected] for more information.

Farm Credit East also authored a blog series regarding the tax and crop insurance implications of the legislation. Visit farmcrediteast.com/obbb to read the first of this blog series.

ENFIELD, Conn. — Farm Credit East reported solid 2024 financial results at its recent annual meeting. Continued loan growth coupled with strong earnings allowed it to distribute a combined $140 million in patronage dividends to eligible customer-owners based on 2024 earnings.

“Our strong financial results over the past several years reinforce Farm Credit East’s ability to serve Northeast agriculture and rural communities and the strength of our cooperative model,” CEO Mike Reynolds said.

In 2024, Farm Credit East’s net income grew to $337 million. Following more than two decades of growth, the cooperative closed out the year with $12.9 billion in loan volume and $2.4 billion in capital. This level of equity allows it to maintain competitive interest rates, while returning a portion of earnings to eligible customer-owners through patronage dividends.

“Given the association’s success in 2024, the board was pleased to approve a special patronage to members. This reflects our commitment to returning value to customer-owners while ensuring the long-term strength of the cooperative,” said John Knopf, Farm Credit East board chair.

The $140 million total patronage paid to members in February is a combination of $131.6 million in patronage dividends based on 2024 cooperative earnings and a $8.4 million special patronage payment the board of directors approved, resulting from the association’s strong results, which exceeded financial targets.