ALBANY — Editor’s note: The following statement from Dean Norton, former New York Farm Bureau President, was released in March 2016, following the state’s decision to incrementally increase the minimum wage in New York to $15/hour. David Fisher, a dairy farmer from St. Lawrence County, was recently elected as the new president of the organization.
“As New York State leaders reach an agreement on an increase in the minimum wage, New York Farm Bureau is disappointed in the outcome and remains steadfastly opposed to the wage hike, regardless of the inclusion of any programs in the final state budget that are designed to assist agriculture. Farms, especially those on Long Island, will face extremely serious economic challenges as they will be forced to pay the dramatically higher wage rates mandated by this agreement. In turn, their business costs will skyrocket as their products become less competitive, and fresh locally-grown food products will be more expensive and less available. The governor and legislature are playing politics with family farmers and their livelihoods and, as a result, our businesses and rural communities will pay the price,” said Dean Norton, former New York Farm Bureau President.
New York Farm Bureau is the State’s largest agricultural lobbying/trade organization. Its members and the public know the organization as “The Voice of New York Agriculture.” New York Farm Bureau is dedicated to solving the economic and public policy issues challenging the agricultural community.
–New York Farm Bureau
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