Jim Bittner, of Bittner-Singer Orchards in Appleton, NY shares why it is important to attend this year’s Becker Forum on January 22, ” There are times it is important you show up at a meeting that could make a huge impact on your farm. I contend that the Becker Forum in Syracuse on Monday, January 22 is one of those meetings. The meeting is sponsored by the NYS Vegetable Growers [Association]. The program is put together by the NY Ag Workforce Development Council, of which the NY Horticultural Society is a part of. Farm Labor will again be the topic of the day and a lot of important labor information will be shared. If you are hiring any H2a labor on your farm, there will be one speaker in particular you will not want to miss….
One of the speakers at this year’s forum will be Mr. Brian Pasternak who is the Administrator in the Office of Foreign Labor Certification in the US DOL. He provides executive leadership, management, and strategic direction over operations of prevailing wage, permanent and temporary visa programs administered by USDOL. I heard him speak at the National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) labor forum that was held in late November. His goal is to get everyone to better understand how the new rules that govern H2a will work. New rules have been put in place over the last year or so, and we are still trying to figure them out. Mr. Pasternak has been making the rounds of grower meetings all over the country to clarify the new rules and educate growers and the regulators of H2a how the new rules should be applied.”
—
The Becker Forum will be held at the Oncenter in Syracuse, NY on Monday, January 22, 2024 from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.
Registration closes January 14 at 11:59 PM.
Topics include:
- H-2A Job Classifications and Wage Rates
- NY Overtime Tax Credit
- NY Farm Labor Union Update
- Labor Laws and Best Practices for Growers During an Audit
- Improving Farm Labor Effectiveness and Efficiency
- Farm and Food Workers Relief Grant Program
- Unemployment Insurance and Partial Employment
Guest speakers will include Attorney Joshua Viau of Fisher Phillips Law Firm, Attorney Chris Schulte of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, Sarah Decker and Ivette Vigano of the U.S. Department of Labor and more.
Registration information:
$125 for the first person and $115 for additional registrants from the same
organization through January 1. After January 2, registration is $150/person.
For a complete agenda and to register visit: http://nysvga.org/expo/information/
Questions? Contact nysvegetablegrowers@gmail.com
