ALBANY — Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio joined Tuesday with Assembly Republican colleagues, farmers and agricultural advocates calling for the governor and state labor commissioner to reject a reduction in the farm laborer overtime threshold from 60 hours to 40.
Over the last several months, farmers throughout the state have expressed concern that cost increases caused by this policy could force many of them to consider closing down their operations.
Giglio, R-Gowanda, said many farmers have no choice but to have their laborers work more than 40 hours in order to properly care for crops and animals that could otherwise die in the face of inclement weather and other factors out of a farmer’s control.
“Farming is an incredibly unique industry, and in New York it is an especially challenging place to grow enough produce within a year to make ends meet, as we have a singular growing season that can last just over half of the year,” Giglio said. “Even moving to a 60-hour threshold hurt our farmers badly, and in speaking with farmers, I agree they have good reason to fear that the lower threshold could put their farms under for good.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that she hasn’t decided if she’ll accept the recommendation from a state wage board to lower the number of hours farm workers have to work to earn overtime, according to New York Now/WMHT.
Hochul said she’s still considering the decision, but that she would seek to offset the new cost for farmers if she accepts the...
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