Sen. Stec urges Hochul to reject farm labor decision

ALBANY | Sen. Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) is urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject the Farm Laborer Wage Board's recent recommendation to lower the overtime threshold for farmworkers from 60 hours to 40. The decision from the wage board is deeply unpopular with family farms and would negatively impact farmers and workers alike, prompting outcry from North Country farmers, families and lawmakers alike. "Lowering the overtime threshold is a move that would spell disaster for family farms and make it harder to hire and maintain a workforce," Stec said. "Agriculture is responsible for thousands of jobs and is a major driver of economic revenue in our region and for the state as a whole. "Between the struggles our farming families have faced for years, rising inflation and a sharp increase in cost of living, changing the overtime threshold harms farmers, workers and the consumers who would now pay more for the quality food they rely on. I urge Gov. Hochul to do right by our agriculture industry and reject the board's wage increase recommendation." In the Feb. 8 letter to Gov. Hochul, Stec wrote in full: "I'm writing to you concerning the Farm Laborer Wage Board's recommendation to reduce the current overtime threshold for farmworkers. As a fellow upstate New Yorker, I'm sure you understand the importance of agriculture to our economy and the potential ramifications this move could have on this industry. New York's 33,000 farms are responsible for 55,000 jobs and have a profound economic impact. They also provide the quality food that keep residents across our state healthy. By cutting the overtime threshold, all of this would be in jeopardy. There are many reasons this reduction would be disastrous for our agriculture industry. For family-owned farms, many of which already operate on tight budgets and deadlines, this would force a radical change in operations and limit their ability to hire and maintain workers. For laborers, this could mean a reduction in hours and earning potential. And at a time of rising inflation and supply chain breakdowns, New Yorkers would be forced to go without homegrown products or to pay higher costs for goods shipped in from out-of-state. New York has lost more than 2,000 farms in the past decade and the pandemic has only exacerbated their difficulties. To help protect our family farms and also ensure that all New Yorkers continue to have access to healthy, affordable food grown and raised in our state, I urge you to reject the Farm Laborer Wage Board's recommendations and keep the current overtime threshold in place."

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Sen. Stec urges Hochul to reject farm labor decision

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