Farmer harvesting in the greenhouse

Agriculture Labor Program

The program provides agricultural employers and workers access to services that can help them become successful.
AGRICULTURE LABOR PROGRAM OVERVIEW

he Agriculture Labor Program was formed in April 2012 and is organized under the Department of Labor's Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs. It has some similarities to the former Rural Employment Services Program. The Foreign Labor Certification Unit was also transitioned to the Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs.

The Agriculture Labor Program includes field staff and supervisors. They are supported by the Foreign Labor Certification Unit, Communications Specialist and Division Director, Jeanette Lazelle. All field staff and supervisors speak English and Spanish. Lazelle said, "We work to support New York agriculture, one of the most important industries in the state.

The Agriculture Labor Program's field staff are located throughout the state. They provide job seekers and business customers access to the services available at New York State Career Centers and other services of the Department of Labor. With our dual customer focus, we endeavor to help agricultural employers and agricultural workers be successful.

 

Understanding the Agricultural Industry and Farm Laborers in New York

FARM WORKERS Programs and Services

DOL Programs and Services for Farm Workers
Public Training Webinar

This training, designed for agricultural employers and farm labor contractors, will focus in on the details of working with a farm labor contractor, the state specific registration requirements, and the joint responsibility between a grower and a contractor.

NYS DOL Farm Labor Contractor Registration Requirements

Date and time: Thursday, June 29, 2023 10:00 AM | (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Register link: https://meetny.webex.com/weblink/register/r610420bcd42be0a10e7b0272586b9873

 

 

APPLE AND PEAR SURVEY
Each year, the U.S. Department of Labor requires the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) to conduct a survey of growers of certain crops to obtain information about wages and employment practices from the current year.  The U.S. Department of Labor uses the results of these surveys to set agricultural wage rates in New York for the following year. Those rates are published in the USDOL’s Agricultural On-line Wage Library.

For questions or comments regarding the survey, please contact the New York State Department of Labor's Division of Research and Statistics at [email protected] or the Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs [email protected]. For more information about the New York State Department of Labor's Division of Research and Statistics and employment data available from the division, visit https://dol.ny.gov/labor-data

Outreach
Agricultural Outreach Plans

The outreach program seeks to locate and contact migrant and seasonal farm workers who are not reached by typical intake activities, such as at local New York State Career Center offices.

The AOP is an annual requirement of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), DIPA will make the AOP available each year so that MSFWs, agricultural employers, and other stakeholders may access the Agriculture Labor Program's outreach strategy for the year.

The federal Program Year (PY) is July 1 through June 30 each year. 


As required by the WIOA, DIPA has produced a modification to our current 4-year plan. The Agricultural Outreach Plan modification is available by selecting the button below. DIPA is accepting public comments on the Plan modification through 5:00 p.m. on March 7, 2022. If you wish to submit comments, please email them to [email protected] by the due date and time. 

View draft plan 

CONTACT US

Have a Question About The Agriculture Labor Program?

Find the agricultural labor contacts in your area.

AGRICULTURE LABOR SPECIALISTS