K 291: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 25-31, 2025, as Farmworker Awareness Week in the State of New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 291 BY: M. of A. Tague MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 25-31, 2025, as Farmworker Awareness Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, Hardworking American farmers provide New York State, the Nation, and much of the world with a safe, healthy, affordable, and abundant food supply; and WHEREAS, Farmers boost our local economies by spending locally, attracting tourism, and keeping money in our communities; in the United States, agriculture is a thriving industry which provides $1.537 trillion in economic impact and provides food for an American population of more than 341 million and beyond; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 25-31, 2025, as Farmworker Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Farmworker Awareness Week; and WHEREAS, National Farmworker Awareness Week is a designated week of action for communities to bring attention to the multiple challenges farmworkers face and honor their important and always essential contributions to the food supply chain; and WHEREAS, There are 2.6 million farmworkers in the United States; and WHEREAS, Farmworkers are the critical first step in our food supply chain, yet their contributions to the foods we purchase often go unseen; and WHEREAS, Farmworkers provide highly skilled, and often physically and mentally challenging labor; they continue to work through the challenges of Mother Nature, and perform under extreme pressure, including the pandemic and other global challenges; and WHEREAS, The need for farmworkers continues to grow as the United States continues to produce food for an ever-growing world population; and WHEREAS, These past few years has helped the world shine a light on the men and women of many essential industries, including agriculture; now more than ever, consumers have taken an interest in where their food comes from and the special people who help get it from farm to table; and WHEREAS, Essential to getting fresh and healthy food on supermarket shelves, farmworkers grow, harvest, process and pack fresh food for stores every day; nearly 2.6 million farmworkers are on farms and ranches throughout the United States, performing hard and skilled labor; and WHEREAS, Farmworkers are the root of the Nation's supply chain and ensure the availability, quality, and safety of our food; farmers contribute $164.7 billion to the United States gross domestic product; and WHEREAS, The celebration of National Farmworker Awareness Week is in recognition of farmers from all racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and walks of life, who feed us and our families every day and of the importance of agriculture as a vital industry and economic driver in New York State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 25-31, 2025, as Farmworker Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.