Assemblyman John Lemondes (R,C-LaFayette) held a press conference last week on the importance of agricultural education and reforming the Federal Farm Bill. Lemondes was joined by Congressman Brandon Williams and his colleagues in the state Assembly, including Assemblymen Chris Tague (R,C-Schoharie), Brian Manktelow (R,C-Lyons) and Joseph Angelino (R,C-Norwich). Lemondes and others stressed the need to address issues such as H-2A reform, the increased burden of overtime pay for farm employees, and the lack of awareness of agriculture in our state’s youth.

Specifically, Lemondes and Williams urged the federal administration to consider allowing H-2A reform for New York, given the repeated burdens that have been placed on the state’s agricultural sector by the New York State government. The lawmakers contend that the established federal wage to pay unskilled migrant workers is unsustainable when the litany of regulations and additional costs from the state government are factored in. The lawmakers also stressed the importance of agricultural education in schools, in response to the noticeable decline in young people’s awareness and understanding of how a farm operates and the demands that are involved.

“Agriculture is at the center of New York State’s economy and, today, that industry is in desperate need of support,” said Lemondes, “Farmers all around this state are being over-regulated to death by out-of-touch politicians in Albany and Washington, D.C. who have never even set foot on a local farm.

“I am advocating for changes to the Federal Farm Bill and ensuring agricultural education has a place in our schools. My colleagues and I are working tirelessly to make sure our farms and farmers are taken care of through these reforms.”