These programs help to solve the problem of labor shortages that are critically important to the success of New York s farms. The Agricultural Guest-worker program provides for the temporary admission of foreign agricultural workers into the United States, provided domestic workers are not available. The influx of foreign laborers into New York s agricultural workforce greatly enhances our farmers ability to have a successful harvest. Any change to expand the migrant farm worker program must respect the rights and needs of the workforce. In my travels all across this state, I've seen firsthand how New York farmers and farms are a vital part of this state's economy and landscape.
Agriculture is New York's top industry.
What is grown and raised here makes its way to kitchen tables across the country and around the world. I'll work to redouble our efforts to ensure New York's farmers have fair access to world markets, and to work with you to develop affordable and innovative insurance products that will break the cycle of loans, overwhelming debt, and farm foreclosure. Only by developing a comprehensive plan of action to address the fundamental inadequacies of our current agriculture policies can we ensure the long-term viability of family farming. This means developing an effective Crop Insurance Program that provides an actual safety net for our growers in periods of poor weather and low yields, continuing our fight for New York s admission into the Northeast Dairy Compact, and repealing the estate tax so our farmer s children can continue the long tradition of farming their family s land. These programs, as well as others such as the Guest-worker Program, will ensure our State s farms survival and prosperity into the 21 st century.