New York City Legislators Attempt to Force Farm Labor Bill

Albany- Just three weeks after the disastrous Farm Labor Bill was defeated by the New York State Senate's Committee on Agriculture, virtually the same bill has been reintroduced by New York City legislators, in an attempt to force onerous work regulations onto Upstate New York farmers.

Senator Nozzolio, who adamantly opposed this measure when it was introduced just weeks ago, has indicated that he will continue his opposition to this bill which has been reintroduced without a single meaningful change.

Senator Nozzolio said, “This ill-conceived legislation is a clear example of the New York City and downstate legislators trying to force legislation down the throats of our Upstate farmers without any understanding of the implications or ramifications of the law.”

Representatives of the farming community, including the New York State Farm Bureau, fruit and vegetable growers, and agricultural workers throughout the Finger Lakes region have advised the Senator that this proposal would be the death knell of agriculture in Upstate New York.

The original legislation (S.2247), which was defeated in the New York State Senate Committee on Agriculture, would prevent seasonal employees from working the hours needed to harvest crops and severely limit their financial earnings. It would, at the same time, raise the cost for the grower and result in higher prices for locally grown crops across the Finger Lakes region. The new legislation makes only cosmetic changes to the previous bill that was voted down by the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

“The Farm Labor Bill will create the most repressive labor mandates in the entire country and add significant financial costs to New York State’s more than 35,000 farms. There is no question that many farms will simply go under and the economic fallout from this legislation will be devastating to Upstate New York." said Senator Nozzolio.

“I will continue to oppose this disastrous bill and do everything I can to support agriculture and the farm community," concluded Senator Nozzolio.