After the release of the Farm Laborers Wage Board report, members of the Grow NY Farms Coalition called on Governor Hochul and Department of Labor Commissioner, Roberta Reardon, to reject the report and maintain the current overtime threshold at 60 hours per week.
Members of the Grow NY Farms Coalition explained how the report downplays important testimony and data from workers, farmers and researchers from Cornell University.
“New Yorkers depend on the viability of local family farms. Yet, recommendations put forth by the Department of Labor in the Farm Laborers Wage Board report will put the future of farming in New York at risk,” Grow NY Farms Coalition said in a statement. “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. We urge Governor Hochul to direct Commissioner Reardon and the Department of Labor to dismiss this report and pause any decisions relating to overtime until the USDA Census of Agriculture is released in 2024, which will help inform potential changes to our state’s volatile, fragile, and necessary agriculture industry.”
Dairy producers, Tyler and Kelly Reynolds of Reyncrest Farms milk 1,400 cows and farm 2,700 acres alongside their family near Buffalo. The duo say that if the overtime law is reduced to 40 hours, some of their current employees would find work elsewhere.
“For me, it’s disheartening after resounding testimony from those involved in agriculture, owners and farm workers alike, were against the move to 40-hours and the wage board still decided in favor of lowering the threshold,” Kelly remarks. “Our employees really don’t want to work less than 66-70 hours a week.”
New York Farm Bureau President, David Fisher, says he believes the report does not reflect the data, research and scope of the full testimony that was provided.
“It gave added weight to the opinions of those in favor of a lower threshold and discounted the majority of the in-person and written testimony of farmers, farmworkers and agricultural experts,” he says. “The facts cannot be ignored, even if the report does not give them their due consideration.”
Once the board delivers its report, Department of Labor Commissioner Reardon will have 45 days to review and announce her decision.
