(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Legislation has been introduced to double the state’s Farm Workforce Retention Credit from $600 to $1,200 next year with a total price tag to state taxpayers of $50 million a year.
A.3886 was introduced by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, D-Binghamton, with several co-sponsors. The credit would increase from $600 in 2020 to $800 in 2021 before increasing to $1,200 in 2022. The legislation also makes the tax credit permanent. Companion legislation, S.3502, has been sponsored by Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D-Kingston.
Farms across New York are contending with a 23.5% in total production costs since 2007 due to increased labor costs. According to 2017 USDA ERS data, farm labor expense in New York was about 13.2% of the value of agricultural receipts, compared to the national average of 9.5%. A recent Farm Credit East report estimates that labor costs will increase by $299 million.