It’s shaping up to be yet another economic disaster for New York’s farmers and farm workers -- and another fiscal burden for taxpayers.
Senator O'Mara offers his weekly perspective on many of the key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, as well as on legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies, and more. Stop back every Monday for Senator O'Mara's latest column...
This week, "Will Governor Hochul turn her back on farmers?"
To no one’s surprise last week, a New York State Wage Board established under a 2019 law known as the “Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act” finalized its recommendation to lower the mandatory overtime pay threshold for farm workers from the current 60 hours to 40 hours.
If left to stand by Governor Kathy Hochul, it will change the face of New York State agriculture as we have known it for generations.
Listen to the warnings, governor. Stay at 60.
Grow NY Farms, a coalition of leading farm industry advocates, states that the Wage Board’s recommendation “will put the future of farming in New York at risk. In fact, this report and its recommendations are not reflective of the significant data and research conducted by academics and industry experts, or the majority of public testimony provided throughout the public hearing process.”
Northeast Dairy Producers Association Vice President Keith Kimball said, “The entire Farm Laborer Wage Board process has lacked transparency and integrity from the start, and the final report...
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