Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office   

Photo by Don Pollard/Office of Governor: Kathy Hochul visits the Long Island Farm Brewery today as part of her first stop on a tour and roundtable discussion the future of farming in New York.

Governor Kathy Hochul today launched a statewide listening tour on the future of farming in New York State. A series of listening sessions will allow the State to hear directly from farmers about their priorities in addressing climate, workforce, and economic challenges, and will help inform the State’s federal priorities for critical funding and policy changes in the areas of agriculture, nutrition, and the environment.

Kicking off the listening tour, Governor Hochul visited Bruno Farm in Suffolk County and held a roundtable session with stakeholders at Long Island Farm Brewery/Water Drinker Family Farm to hear from farmers about their successes and concerns. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor will be continuing the tours across the state in the coming months, in conjunction with listening sessions held by Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, with several stops scheduled to ensure that the farming community statewide has a chance to make their voices heard.

“New York’s agricultural industry is essential to our economy, our communities, and our way of life, and we want to make sure we put a special emphasis on farms as we continue to recover from the pandemic,” Hochul said. “Our farms have always been here for us, and we need to be there for them, and these listening sessions will help us navigate the challenges and opportunities in the agricultural community.”

The statewide listening tour provides an opportunity for state officials and agricultural industry leaders to engage with and hear from constituents about the importance of the 2023 Farm Bill to New York State, and how it will help to grow and sustain New York farms.

Hosted jointly by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) and fellow state agencies, the tour began in Riverhead, Suffolk County today at Suffolk County Community College. Commissioner Ball was joined by New York State Department of Health Executive Deputy Commissioner Dr. Eugene Heslin and New York Farm Bureau representatives.

The second session is scheduled for Binghamton, Broome County on Monday, July 25 at 1 p.m. at Cornell Cooperative Extension Broome County. Commissioner Ball will be joined by state partners, Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo, and representatives from New York Farm Bureau. Participants can RSVP for the Binghamton session by emailing FarmBill@agriculture.ny.gov.

Additional sessions held across the state will be announced in the coming weeks. Written comments can be submitted to FarmBill@agriculture.ny.gov.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Farm Bill has a tremendous impact on all sectors of our agricultural community here in New York State, and we want to hear from our partners and stakeholders about what is important to them. As we in Albany prepare to advocate for our farmers during this upcoming Farm Bill season, we take the comments we hear very seriously and will use them to inform our policy priorities. I encourage everyone to join us at one of the sessions announced today or join us for the remainder of the summer and into the fall as we travel across our great state to hear from you.”

Feedback gathered during the tour will be provided to help develop New York State’s policy agenda on the future of farming as well as the state’s priorities for critical funding and policy changes during the 2023 Farm Bill renewal conversations.

The Farm Bill is an omnibus, multi-year law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. The most recent Farm Bill, the Agricultural Act of 2018, expires at the beginning of 2023.

Key areas impacted by the Farm Bill and to be discussed during the listening sessions include agriculture research, animal disease, conservation and climate resilience, cyber security, food safety, hemp, invasive species, local food systems, Specialty Crop Block Grants, and trade promotion.

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher said, “The Farm Bill provides critical funding for a number of essential programs that farmers depend on, including risk management support, conservation assistance, and needed research. We encourage farmers to attend the listening sessions to help the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets prioritize the needs of our diverse agricultural community. New York Farm Bureau thanks Commissioner Richard Ball and his team for hosting the listening tour to hear first-hand what our farmers value in the Farm Bill.”

Agriculture is a major driver of the New York State economy and just over a quarter of New York State’s land mass, or 7 million acres, is dedicated to farmland. Nearly 33,000 family farms produce some of the world’s best food with the State ranking in the top 10 in 30 different commodities that support its communities.

New York is the largest producer of cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt in the United States; The State ranks second in maple syrup, apples, and cabbage; third in grapes; and fourth in floriculture. It also ranks fifth in green peas, squash, and milk production, which is the largest segment of the state’s agricultural sector. Nearly 3,500 dairy farmers produce 15.5 billion pounds of milk annually in New York State.

‘The dairy industry is in need of workers, this bootcamp is the perfect opportunity for someone who is on the search for a well-paying and debt-free start to their career.’

Press Release, Genesee County Economic Development Center

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article said the program was limited to Genesee County high school graduates, but it is open to those outside Genesee as well.

BATAVIA – Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be hosting a free three-day dairy processing bootcamp at the Genesee Valley BOCES from June 28 through June 30 for local high school students including those outside Genesee County.

The program is designed for career-ready individuals seeking opportunities in the dairy manufacturing and dairy processing industries. The program starts each day at 8 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center and the Workforce Development Institute provided the funding for the program. The bootcamp program will connect high school graduates with local manufacturers such as HP Hood, O-AT-KA Milk Products and Upstate Milk Cooperative in Batavia, and Yancey’s Fancy in Pembroke.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our local high school graduates to get on a successful career pathway without having to immediately go to college and perhaps avoid incurring student loan debt,” said Chris Suozzi, Vice President of Business & Workforce Development at the GCEDC. “The participants will be receiving top tier instruction from Cornell University which will include hands-on training simulation experience, plant tours and more.”

There are currently over 100 available dairy manufacturing and dairy processing positions at these Genesee County businesses with average starting salaries of approximately $20 per hour. Human resource representatives from the various companies will be on hand to explain career path options, job duties and the application process.

“We have instructors with years of experience in the dairy field and bring an extensive amount of knowledge to this program,” said Cornell Dairy Processing & Marketing Specialist, Anika Zuber Gianforte. “The dairy industry is in need of workers, this bootcamp is the perfect opportunity for someone who is on the search for a well-paying and debt-free start to their career.”

To register for the upcoming Cornell in High School Dairy Processing Bootcamp, click here.

Students must be at least 18 years old and have a high school degree to participate. Additional information is available at gcedc.com/workforceprograms.

USDA wants to hear from operations with at least $1,000 in revenue

Photo by Tom Rivers: A tractor heads down Main Street in Medina on Saturday morning.

Press Release, National Agricultural Statistics Service

WASHINGTON — Agriculture producers who did not receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture and do not receive other USDA surveys or censuses have until June 30 to sign up to receive the 2022 Census of Agriculture at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will mail ag census survey codes for responding securely online to every known U.S. producer this November. Hard copy questionnaires will follow in December.

The ag census, conducted for over 180 years, remains the only source of comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every state and county in the nation. It includes every operation – large or small, urban or rural – from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products are produced and sold, or would normally be produced and sold, in the ag census year.

“The Census of Agriculture is a collective voice that tells the story and value of American agriculture. The data influence action and inform policy and program decisions that directly impact producers, their operations, and everyone they touch – and that’s all of us,” said Barbara Rater, NASS Census and Survey Division director. “This is why a complete count, with every producer getting and taking the opportunity to be represented in these data, is so important.”

On the NASS webpage, producers can also access frequently asked questions, explore past and current ag census data, access tools to help spread the word about the upcoming ag census, learn about ag census special studies, and more.

NASS builds its distribution list for every Census of Agriculture between and during ag census years through the official sign-up webpage and multiple National Agricultural Classification Surveys. To learn more about the 2022 Census of Agriculture, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.

Editor’s Note: In Orleans County, farm products sold for $155.3 million in 2017, the 14^th most among NY’s 62 counties, according to the last Ag Census. That was up 3.3 percent over 5 years from the $150.3 million in 2012 for sales of fruit, vegetables, milk, livestock and other farm products. The 2012 figure was a 48.8 percent jump from the $101.0 million recorded in 2007, according to the Agricultural Census.

Press Release, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

File photo by Tom Rivers: These turkeys were part of the 2014 meat auction at the 4-H Fair in Knowlesville.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball on Friday announced the end of the bans on live poultry shows, exhibitions, auctions, sales, meets, and swaps in New York State.

The Department had previously issued the bans on March 25 and April 14 as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spread across the United States, including detections in New York State.

The decision to lift the bans comes as cases decrease nationwide, including in New York State, which has not had a detection of HPAI in nearly two months. Additionally, as the state enters agricultural fair season, phylogenetic studies have shown that the majority of flocks affected in the current outbreak were infected by introductions from wild birds, rather than by farm-to-farm transmission, lending additional confidence to the decision to allow comingling of poultry again.

“New York has taken an aggressive approach to slowing the spread of avian influenza and it has paid off,” Commissioner Ball said. “With cases decreasing in our state and throughout the country, as well as new data showing very low rates of farm-to-farm transmission of HPAI during the current outbreak, I am confident that it is time to lift the bans on live poultry shows and sales. I thank all of our farmers, suppliers, distributors, and live bird markets for employing excellent biosecurity practices as we continue to monitor the HPAI situation closely, and I commend the Department’s Division of Animal Industry staff, who have worked so hard to keep the cases here in New York State under control.”

To date, eight flocks in New York have tested positive for HPAI, with the last detection in a Fulton County flock on April 6. The Department continues to work closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on a joint incident response and is also collaborating with partners at the Department of Health and Department of Environmental Conservation. Additionally, Department officials are conducting extensive outreach to poultry and egg farms across the state to ensure best practices are being implemented.

Commercial and hobby poultry farmers should continue practicing good biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease. The Department encourages all poultry producers, from small backyard to large commercial operations, to review their biosecurity plans and take precautions to protect their birds. Poultry biosecurity materials and checklists can be found on the USDA’s “Defend the Flock” website.

Provided photos: This group of students competed in the Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon at Bond Lake Park Nature Center in Lewiston.

Press Release, Soil & Water Conservation Districts in Orleans and Niagara counties

LEWISTON – Six teams of high school students competed May 5 at the Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon held at Bond Lake Park Nature Center in Lewiston.

Teams of five students in grades 9-12 were tested on wildlife, aquatics, forestry, soils/land use, and a current environmental issue. This year’s current issue was “Waste to Resources” – bringing to light ways to reduce waste and how to continue to do so in the future.

“Envirothon helps students get a hands-on knowledge of our environment and to understand how better to protect and manage the resources around them,” explained Dave Reckahn, Niagara County SWCD Natural Resource Technician.

This group won from Orleans County, representing the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center.

Congratulations to the winning teams, Niagara Career and Technical Education Center and Orleans Career and Technical Education Center. Both teams will move on to represent their county at the NYS Envirothon later this month at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

“Envirothon is a great environmental competition to get students interested in different aspects of the outdoors” said Scott Collins, Niagara County SWCD RAP Coordinator and former Envirothon winner.

The Niagara-Orleans Regional Envirothon is a yearly event coordinated by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Niagara and Orleans counties. Essential support is provided by schools and community advisors, as well as local specialists in each field.

A special thank you to the event’s sponsors GM Foundation, NewRoyal Orchards and Orleans Poverty Hill Farm.

For more information about Envirothon visit www.envirothon.org or www.nysenvirothon.org.

To participate next year please reach out to our offices at 716-434-4949 ext. 4 for Niagara County students and 585-589-5959 ext. 5 for Orleans County students.

This is the winning Niagara County team from Niagara Career and Technical Education Center.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Albion FFA members Alyson Knaak, left, holds a piglet named “Porkchop” and Jamie Penna holds “Bacon” during today’s Albion FFA Mini Farm Day.

Several hundred elementary students stopped by the FFA shop to see the farm animals and tractors in the parking lot.

“This is the most fun we have,” Knaak said.

Scott Oldenburg, the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, said the students look forward to the Mini Farm Day.

“It’s the Albion FFA giving back to the elementary kids and educating them about the different animals on a farm,” he said.

Max Bentley shows this class of third graders a John Deere track tractor that was brought to the school by Panek Farms.

This dairy calf named “Jelly Bean” was brought to the Mini Farm Day by FFA member Samantha Basinait, who also brought an 1,100-pound Hereford steer.

Jeffrey Brown introduces students to Theo, a 5-year-old Norwegian Elkhound that loves bread, walks, bones, treats and belly scratches. The dog hates thunder, Jeffrey said.

Simon Ellison holds a Harklen cross rabbit. He is joined by Leah Pritchard, who introduced the students to a goat named Matilda in the pen.

Aiden Brien shows the class a Case IH speed tiller made available by Mathes Farms.

Taylor Soule holds a 3-legged goat named Jack that was very popular with this group of third-graders.

Austin Narburgh of the Albion FFA sent in this drone photo of the livestock area and tractors in the parking lot from the Mini Farm Day.

Orleans County has its first confirmed case of the avian influenza. It was detected in a backyard flock, said Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County.

There are no other details about what type of bird, how many tested positive and the location.

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets on March 25 announced the spread of avian influenza among fowl and said it would ban all live shows and exhibitions in the state with chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese.

The state will reassess the status of the ban in May, at which time the Extension will be able to determine if fowl will be included the annual 4-H Fair in late July.

The current outbreak of avian flu is rapidly expanding nationwide, Ag and Markets said on March 25. It has also been detected among snow geese and wild ducks.

“People can still protect their flocks by getting them under cover and avoiding outside contamination,” Batt said. “There’s a possibility of prevention with some urgency and diligence.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these recent avian flu detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been found in the United States.

Ag and Markets advised commercial and hobby poultry farmers to increase their biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease. Poultry owners should keep their birds away from wild ducks and geese and their droppings. Outdoor access for poultry should be limited at this time.

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) joined 96 colleagues in calling on President Biden to reverse his anti-American energy policies and take steps to bring down the cost of fertilizers for farmers.

“Most common fertilizers are petroleum-based,” Jacobs said. “With prices skyrocketing and foreign supplies becoming less accessible, it is critical action is taken to bring down fertilizer costs for farmers.

“Farmers are struggling under increased fuel costs, labor shortages, and inflationary pressures on inputs. If we do not act now, it could spell even higher prices for American consumers. The President could take immediate steps to bring prices down across the board.

“His policies have been destructive to the U.S. energy industry, and in turn, our farmers. The President must allow for increased U.S. oil and gas production, take steps to allow for easier access to alternative fertilizers, and ensure critical minerals are made part of the Department of Interior’s mission.”

Recently, Jacobs also co-sponsored numerous pieces of legislation designed to restore American energy independence and bring fuel costs down for farmers and the American people as a whole.

“Farming is an industry of incredibly narrow margins – any action the President can take immediately to lower the inflationary pressures facing our farmers, in large part due to his bad policies, must be a priority,” Jacobs said.

The full text of the representatives’ letter to President Biden:

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to express our serious concern regarding record-high fertilizer prices impacting American farmers going into the spring planting season. Fertilizer is a primary input and major expense for producers across the country, and price increases will have a significant effect on farm profitability and the prices of food and consumer products.

Since January 2021, according to the most recent data from the United States Department of Agriculture, the prices of key fertilizer sources have substantially increased as follows: anhydrous ammonia (by 203%); urea (by 141%); liquid nitrogen (by 162%); monoammonium phosphate (by 74%); potash (by 125%); and farm diesel (by 95%). Ongoing supply-chain bottlenecks and the rising cost of energy are among the factors sending fertilizer prices soaring, and disruptions stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will only compound the problem. As a result, Americans will pay more at restaurants, grocery stores, and elsewhere.

We are therefore urging your administration to review all available options to lower the cost of fertilizer, including but not limited to: eliminating the cross-border vaccine mandate for transporters of essential commerce; urging the USDA to use its existing authorities under the food supply chain and pandemic response resources to provide support for farmers facing financial difficulties; ensuring agricultural minerals like phosphate and potash are part of the Department of the Interior’s crucial mission; increasing U.S. gas production; and approving pending export permits at the Department of Energy for liquefied natural gas.

Quickly undertaking such measures is the most immediate – and perhaps only – near-term opportunity to partially remedy the high costs of fertilizer hurting American farmers and, ultimately, American consumers. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs’ Office

Provided photo: Congressman Chris Jacobs, center, is joined by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, left, and State Sen. Ed Rath today at the Oakfield Community Center.

OAKFIELD – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27), State Senator Ed Rath (R,C,I – Amherst), and State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) held a press conference this morning to call on Governor Hochul to reject the NYS Farm Laborers Wage Board’s decision to lower the overtime threshold from 60 hours a week to 40 hours.

“Farming is already a business suffering from labor shortages with incredibly tight margins, if the Governor were to accept this decision it would have disastrous impacts on the viability of agriculture in our state and the security of our rural economies,” Jacobs said. “Lowering the threshold would force producers and workers out of our state, and bankrupt generation family farms. I urge the Governor to reject this decision – made at the expense of our farmers – our region’s future prosperity depends on it.”

“The decision by the Farm Laborers Wage Board to lower overtime hours from 60 to 40 hours is fatal to our farms. As the largest industry in New York, agriculture is a vital part of our Upstate community. With this overtime change, many family farms will not survive. I have spoken with countless farmers and farmworkers who have shared their concerns with this hour reduction. I remain deeply troubled by this decision and the impact it will have, not only in my district but across our State,” Rath said.

“Our state’s agri-businesses and rural communities are staring down the edge of a cliff as they eagerly wait to see whether Gov. Hochul will stand up for them, or for the special interests who’ve been pushing this policy through the bureaucratic process,” Hawley said. “Farmers, lawmakers, farm laborers and experts alike have made clear the devastating consequences this decision will have on agriculture. In this moment, Gov. Hochul has the power to save agriculture in New York state, or put it down a path that will cause it to become something completely unrecognizable. Having represented a rural part of upstate New York in Congress, I sincerely hope she understands how dangerous this decision would be not just for farmers, but for rural communities throughout the state.”

Jacobs recently joined the New York Republican Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to Governor Hochul outlining the disastrous impacts of this recommendation from the wage board and urging her to reject it.

Press Release, Roy-Hart Central School

Provided photo: Fourth-grade students from Royalton-Hartland Elementary School are excited about the results of their agricultural study project on worms that was a display at a district-wide celebration of the K-12 Agricultural Center of Excellence. The students now have a better understanding of how worms can add fertility to soil and help grow crops. Participating in the project are (from left to right) teacher Jessica Monaco and students Sylas Jones, Chloe Carpenter and Mason Heideman.

MIDDLEPORT – The Royalton-Hartland School District community came together today to celebrate the achievements made in the past four years and future plans for its innovative K-12 Agricultural Education Center of Excellence Program.

School Board leaders, teachers, students, Agriculture Foundation board members, government representatives and community volunteers participated in a celebration event that included tours of the newly-renovated Small Animal Care, Food Science and Agri-Science Labs, an overview of ongoing Farm-to-School activities at the Elementary, Middle and High Schools, accomplishments of the FFA, and future plans for the Ag program.

“With the leadership of the District’s Board of Education and many dedicated partners, we have made great strides in providing opportunities for our many students to explore agriculture and the environment, ultimately pursuing them in college studies with the hope many return to Niagara County to contribute to the local agriculture industry,” said Dr. Hank Stopinski, Roy-Hart superintendent of schools.

“Many event attendees Wednesday saw first-hand the momentum that is building behind agriculture education and career preparation, how engaging and innovative our programs have become and the tremendous dedication driving it on a staff and community-wide basis,” he said.

Roy-Hart High School students have more reason now to pursue a higher education in agricultural sciences with the opening of the three new labs, which in further detail are:

• Small Animal Care Lab: This lab is designed to support the animal science curriculum and provide hands-on learning opportunities for students. Grooming, health exams, sanitation and other small animal concepts are taught in this area.
• Food Science Lab: The lab/classroom space features the latest instructional technology and can serve up to 30 students. It is equipped with multiple workstations for the preparation and processing of food. The lab will be used during the school day in support of the Food Science class, in the evenings and weekends for adult continuing education and special immersion/enrichment experiences for students.
• Agri-Science Lab: This large classroom/lab is designed to allow students to have hands-on learning applications for multiple agricultural education concepts that include, but are not limited to large animal care, aquaponics, hydroponics and floral design.

The Roy-Hart Agricultural Education Center of Excellence Program has also seen the creation of an Outdoor Learning Lab at the Roy-Hart Elementary School, a STEM lab at the high school, and the infusion of a Farm-to-School studies program in the middle school curriculum.

Primary financing for the labs came through funds made available by FMC Corporation to be requested by the Royalton-Hartland School District for qualified projects under the Environmental Benefit Projects Policy of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), in accordance with a 2019 Order on Consent between FMC and NYSDEC.

Additional funding for the program also came from the Grigg Lewis Foundation, with the support of the non-profit Royalton-Hartland Agriculture Foundation, State Farm and ExxonMobil.

Roy-Hart also received an $87,419 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service Farm-to-School Program to further support the high school Food Science Lab with kitchen equipment and stipends for teachers to implement the Food Science curriculum, as well as the build-out of the middle school’s Family and Consumer Science Lab.

Farmers would likely to turn away from labor-intensive apples, cabbage and squash for grain and processing crops

Photo by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Farm Bureau President John Kast speaks at Wednesday’s County Legislature meeting when he asked the county officials to oppose lowering the overtime threshold in agriculture from the current 60 hours. Kast said the change would hurt seasonal workers who would see smaller paychecks with reduced hours and fewer jobs as farms would likely shift to more mechanization.

ALBION – Orleans County farmers each year welcome about 1,500 seasonal workers to bring in labor-intensive crops, from apples, cabbage, squash and cherries. Many workers are also needed each spring to plant onions on the muck in Barre and Clarendon.

Those workers are critical to Orleans County’s biggest business of agriculture, which totaled $155.3 million in 2017 federal ag census. That put Orleans as 14^th among the state’s 62 counties.

But John Kast, president of Orleans County Farm Bureau, said the agriculture sector faces a big threat to its long-term viability with a strong push to lower the overtime threshold from 60 hours a week to 40.

“The decision to lower the overtime threshold will dramatically increase a farm’s operating cost with no way to adjust to recoup those costs,” Kast told the Orleans County Legislature on Wednesday. “Farms do not have the ability to set prices on our commodities. We are at the mercy of our buyers and futures markets. Unlike many other businesses that can raise prices or make other adjustments like adding self-checkout systems or kiosks for ordering, we must absorb the extra cost which is unsustainable.”

A three-person Farm Labor Wage Board voted on Jan. 28 to gradually reduce the overtime threshold in agriculture from 60 hours a week to 40 hours. The reduction in the OT threshold would be phased in from Jan. 1, 2024 to Jan. 1, 2032.

The County Legislature on Wednesday passed a formal resolution, asking Gov. Hochul not to follow the Wage Board by adopting the new threshold. Farmers have many cost factors out of their control and can’t pass on the increased costs due to a commodities market where prices are set due to global demand, legislators said.

The change in NY also puts NY farmers at a competitive disadvantage where there would be a different wage structure for workers. Many of those states already have a much lower minimum wage than in New York.

The seasonal workers, however, earn more than the minimum wage, Kast said.

The workers in the federal H2S program will be paid $15.66 an hour in 2022, Kast said. And farms also cover the visa costs, all travel costs to the local community and then back to their home country. The farms also must provide transportation and housing during the workers’ time here, Kast said.

“Our housing facilities are inspected by the local health department and are maintained under strict requirements from the New York State Department of Labor and Department of Health,” Kast told legislators. “Which is more than most apartments and condos are required to do. All of which provides additional benefits to our workers and adds additional costs to our farms.”

The Wage Board adopted a reduced threshold that would begin in two years with the threshold down to 56 hours a week and then would drop 4 more hours every two years until it’s at 40 hours a week on 2032.

The change would force farmers to either try to stay under the overtime cap and get as much work done as possible, or switch to less labor-intensive crops.

“Either option means less hours, less opportunity and less money for seasonal workers,” Kast said. “There are states all around that do not have overtime rules for agriculture and many of our workers have told us that if they will earn less money here and cannot work as much as they are able to, they will go elsewhere where they can.”

Kast said the very landscape of the county would change if the OT threshold drops, with fewer apple orchards and fields of cabbage and squash.

Kast said the seasonal workers, who often come from Mexico or Jamaica, have been with the same family-run farms for many years.

“Our workers are like family to many of us,” Kast said. “Often workers have been coming up for many years and in some cases multiple generations. We want them to enjoy working for us while being able to provide a good living wage for their families.”