February 28 will Feature Attorney Joshua Viau of Fisher & Phillips LLP
In 2019, the NY legislature passed the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act which, among other things, gave farmworkers the right to organize and join unions. Apple growers in the Hudson Valley are being targeted by the United Farm Workers of America, which is the farmworker union from California. They have filed five petitions that we know of and are soliciting signatures from workers here and in the workers' home countries. Under New York's law, there is no secret ballot election in most cases. All the union has to do is get more than half of your workers to sign union cards. Then they file a petition with the state and unless you can show that the cards are invalid or that the union does not actually have a majority, you will be required to negotiate for a contract with the union representatives. Because of this, it is very important to get out ahead of this BEFORE you get a petition. Once the union files a petition, you will be fighting an extremely difficult battle. Please join attorney Joshua Viau of Fisher Phillips to discuss preventative strategies for dealing with this issue.
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings
April 24, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 1 of 4
Hilton, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
May 29, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
Holley, NY
Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.
June 26, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
Ithaca , NY
Join specialists Anya Stansell and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month. This meeting will include Spanish Interpretation. Este mes en Español También.
July 31, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4 - CANCELED
Canceled.
2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School Recordings
April 8, 2025
July 31, 2025
: Recording Available for 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School
Access to the 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School recordings are now available for purchase.
3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, Featuring Wayne County
July 31, 2025
We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place!
Stay tuned for more info as we get into the summer!