Ortt, Farm Credit hosting discussion about impact of proposed overtime legislation for agriculture
BATAVIA – State Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) is a member of the Senate’s Agriculture’s Committee. He is concerned about the impact on agriculture with legislation in the Senate that would allow for overtime pay for farmworkers and the right to collective bargaining.
Ortt will be hosting a roundtable on May 2 at Farm Credit in Batavia with local farm owners, farmworkers, and agriculture organizations. They will discuss the current state of New York’s farming industry and how newly proposed labor laws could affect the future of New York farming.
Ortt will be joined by several state senators, including Pam Helming (R-Canandaigua), Mike Ranzenhofer (R-Amherst), Tom O’Mara (R, Big Flats), Pat Gallivan (R, Elma), Rich Funke (R, Fairport), Chris Jacobs (R-Buffalo).
Farmworkers from Torrey Farms will join the roundtable, along with farmers, including Jeff Toussaint, a fruit and grain grower in Knowlesville; Christian Yunker, co-owner of CY Farms in Byron; and several others.
State Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) also will attend the roundtable, and so will Michael Kracker, director of Unshackle Upstate.
