A leading produce sector body has accused accused California lawmakers of 'dismissing' economic reality through the signing of a new overtime law for agricultural workers. 

AB 1066 reduces the overtime threshold from 10 hours down to eight, and has previously been described as "nonsensical" by Western Growers (WGA) given a commissioned study forecasts it could cut farmworker incomes by more than US$1.5 billion.

"The Governor has set in motion a chain of events that will cause workers in our fields to lose wages," said WGA president Tom Nassif in a statement.

"It is one thing to dismiss the rationale for a seasonal industry to have a 10-hour overtime threshold rather than an eight-hour threshold. It something entirely worse to dismiss economic reality.

"Our farmers compete with farmers in other states and countries with no overtime costs, far lower minimum wages, reliable water supplies and far less regulatory burden."

Nassif said California farmers would have no choice but to avoid even higher costs of production and would utilize strategies including reducing work shifts and the production of crops that require large numbers of employees.

"The box stores, grocery chains and restaurant companies that buy fresh produce can and will purchase from growers in other states and countries to keep prices down," he said.

"hey don’t care about the high costs of operating in California.  Neither, apparently, do a majority of the California Legislature or the Governor."

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