Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) recently defended family farms by voting against anti-agriculture legislation dubbed the “Farm Death Bill.” The proposal would drastically overhaul labor laws for farm workers and drown small, family-owned farms that already are struggling to survive under excessive, expensive regulations. Among the top 10 agriculture-producing states, New York features the second-highest labor costs.

“New York state’s family farmers already are paying 56 percent more in labor costs than the national average; yet, out-of-touch politicians from New York City have found a way to make things worse,” said Hawley. “This bill shows just how little downstate legislators understand our way of life in Western and Upstate New York. The proposal would increase costs for family farms, most of which are currently operating at a loss, and would enforce new labor regulations that completely disregard the effect that weather has on farming. As a former operator of a family-owned farm, I understand how devastating this legislation is, and I am proud to stand alongside our local family farmers and fight against this attack on our proud agricultural heritage and way of life.”