“The Grow NY Farms Coalition is disappointed that minimum wage will continue to increase, driving…
18 Agriculture and Business Groups Sign on to Letter to Stay at $15
Letter Sent to Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie
Albany, NY – The Grow NY Farms Coalition today sent a letter to Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie urging them to keep the current $15 minimum wage and reject proposals to increase wages further.
Statement from the Grow NY Farms Coalition: “While most businesses can pass increased costs onto consumers, our family farms are working in an extremely competitive marketplace with neighboring states and countries where the cost of doing business is significantly less. New York has already lost at least 1,100 family dairy farms alone, following the minimum wage hike that started increasing at the end of 2016. As multi-generational farms continue to shutter due to tightening margins and suffocating regulations, our rural towns, local farmer’s markets, and food pantries that rely heavily on New York’s agribusinesses will suffer the consequences. We urge our state leaders to keep the minimum wage at $15 to protect the security of our food system and allow family farms and small businesses to assess the financial impacts of ongoing inflation to ensure they can continue supporting local communities across the Empire State.”
Visit www.GrowNYFarms.com to learn why family farms and agribusinesses are asking Governor Hochul and the State Legislature to pause increases to the minimum wage rate. Follow us on Twitter @GrowNYFarms.