Ag Coalition Asks Gov. Hochul to Fix Unemployment Insurance Crisis

Coalition sends joint letter to Gov. Hochul asking for assistance

A coalition of nine agricultural organizations are calling on Gov. Hochul to rectify problems with the Unemployment Insurance Fund that are costing farms and other businesses in the state billions of dollars. The group sent a joint letter to the governor asking her to address the state’s outstanding UI debt and to offset the assessment charges that amount to an additional tax on employers.

The letter reads in part, “The issues employers are facing with UI are due to pandemic policy mandates, fraudulent unemployment payments, and a lack of paying down federal debt. We believe it is New York State’s responsibility to address them and not employers.

Farmers and agricultural businesses cannot and should not bear the weight of replenishing the UI trust fund and repaying the federal government alone, and NYSDOL should be held accountable for the negligence in overseeing the state’s UI system that resulted in $11 billion of fraudulent payments. Businesses are still recovering, and this is further hindering their ongoing recovery. The state must do more to avert a further crisis and potential loss of more farms.”

The coalition joining New York Farm Bureau includes Empire State Forest Products Association, Hop Growers of New York, New York Apple Association, New York State Maple Producers Association, New York State Turfgrass Association, New York State Vegetable Growers Association, Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance, and Northeast Dairy Producers Association.

Click here to read full letter.

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New York Farm Bureau is the State’s largest agricultural lobbying/trade organization. Its members and the public know the organization as “The Voice of New York Agriculture.” New York Farm Bureau’s mission is “Supporting today’s agricultural needs and creating member opportunities for tomorrow through advocacy and education.”