ALBANY – The New York State Farm Bureau is saying “No” to the state-wide $15 minimum wage proposal which the organization argues would be detrimental to agribusinesses, including those in Chenango County.

Farmers and small business owners across the state joined together Monday in a petition to lawmakers to oppose the wage increase. With the April 1 deadline for a state budget just days away, the Farm Bureau is warning of the impact that a 67 percent raise in the minimum wage would have on family-run farms and other small businesses.

“The $15 minimum wage is one of the most serious threats to face the agricultural community in years. I am proud of our members and the leadership at every level of our great organization who stood up [Monday] to make sure their voices are heard,” stated NY Farm Bureau President Dean Norton. “We cannot sit idly by and watch as this proposal threatens to decimate family farms and small businesses across New York.”

The Chenango County Farm Bureau has adopted policies aligning with the State Farm Bureau. At a recent meeting of the Chenango Farm Bureau, CCFB President Bradd Vickers said the minimum wage proposal poses a serious threat to the viability of agribusinesses in Chenango County, where dairy is still the leading industry.