freA bill that an industry-commissioned report claims could take US$4.5 billion from the Californian agricultural economy has been approved by the Senate Assembly. 

In a statement, Western Growers CEO Tom Nassif emphasized the members who voted for AB 1066 (Gonzalez – D) have placed California farms at an even further competitive disadvantage internationally and with other states.

"We are extremely disappointed in the decision of the California State Assembly to pass AB 1066 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez," he said in a release.

"If signed by Governor Brown, the increased overtime costs imposed on California family farmers will compound newly enacted minimum wage increases set to reach $15 per hour by 2022.

"A recent economic analysis concludes that the combination of these two measures will significantly reduce both farmworker income and agricultural production in the state."

The statement highlighted California was one of only five states that provided overtime to farmworkers, and the only state that required daily overtime after 10 hours.

"Furthermore, there are numerous other California industries that have exceptions and complete exemptions from the eight-hour overtime requirement. These are facts that supporters of the bill conveniently chose to overlook," Nassif said.

"Employers in all industries intentionally manage overtime costs, which are generally reserved for anomalies in the work day or work week. Agriculture is a seasonal industry with limited opportunities for farmworkers to earn full paychecks during peak harvest.

"While AB 1066 claims to protect agricultural employees, this short-sighted policy will have the opposite effect, reducing the number of hours available to (and earnings potential of) farmworkers."

For these reasons, Nassif joined California's family farmers in calling on Governor Brown to veto AB 1066.

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