Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie), the ranking Minority member of the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, is voicing his concern for the future of agriculture in New York state following a 2-1 decision by the Farm Laborers Wage Board on Friday to lower the farm laborer overtime threshold from 60 hours to 40.

For months, Tague has joined farmers in spreading awareness of the consequences this decision would have, arguing that such a mandate would increase costs for people in agribusiness and force many of them to shut down their operations due to financial unviability.

“This policy will not only negatively affect the grocery bills of all New Yorkers, but here in upstate New York, our rural farming communities will be especially devastated,” said Tague. “Agriculture encompasses both our local economies and way of life in this state, and it will be tragic to see hundreds of farms people grew up with forced to close their doors.”

A report by Farm Credit East has stated that the total cost of lowering the overtime threshold to 40 hours, coupled with minimum wage increases, would result in a 42% spike in labor costs for small farms. Given that many family farms operate on razor-thin profit margins under the current 60-hour threshold, this price increase could prove to be fatal for them. Tague has also stated that this policy will end up harming the farm workers it was intended to benefit, as the closure of farms will lead to the loss of available farm labor positions within New York state.

“Now more than ever, we will need to take drastic action both locally and legislatively to support our farms if we hope to ensure their survival in the years to come,” said Tague “The loss of our farms will hurt families, farm laborers and countless small towns throughout our state. If we hope to save our farms, we must come together to do whatever we can to prevent the end of New York agriculture as we know it. New York politicians and bureaucrats need to stop biting the hands that feed them. If we have no farms, we have no food.”