In attempting to know what is best for New York's family farms and their employees, the Times Union editorial board asked whether the Farm Labor Bill, which includes overtime beyond an eight-hour work day and the right to unionize, is unreasonable. The simple answer is yes.
What may work in a factory doesn't fit on a farm where Mother Nature is our time clock. Not being able to be in the fields on a rainy day means making up for lost time when it's dry. And should workers choose to strike as harvesting commences, a year's worth of food could decay in the fields, or it could put our dairy cows that need to be milked in harm's way.
Farm families and their employees also take great offense that the Times Union gave credence to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's outlandish comment about farm workers being treated like farm animals. This shameful remark belittles our employees; it also disrespects farm families who work hard right alongside them. If employees were mistreated, as they allegedly have been in some Assembly offices, would they return to the same farms year after year? Another simple answer, no.
If this bill should become law, expect to see an altered farm landscape in New York as farmers look to further control agriculture labor costs that are already the second highest in the country. That means growing more crops like corn and soybeans that can be harvested mechanically, as opposed to fresh fruits and vegetables. Some farms on the brink financially may sadly choose to call it a day. That is indeed unreasonable.
Dean Norton
President, N.Y. Farm Bureau Albany