Showing Support for the Fairness for Farm Workers Act : Gaining Ground

Showing Support for the Fairness for Farm Workers Act

Farmers are at the heart of our organization. It is because of their knowledge, creativity, and skill that we’ve been able to more than triple our yield since 2015 using regenerative, climate-resilient farming practices on just under five acres. Farm work is not only physically demanding; it also requires technical expertise, adaptability, and sharp problem-solving skills. Yet despite the essential role farmworkers play in feeding our communities, they continue to be excluded from basic labor protections that workers in other industries take for granted.

We support the Fairness for Farm Workers Act (House Bills 2107 & 3107 and Senate Bills 2011 & 2012) because it is a matter of fairness and dignity.

Farmworker families in Massachusetts are twice as likely to live in severe poverty as non-farmworker families.
Many face housing and food insecurity—sometimes unable to purchase the very food they grow.
Farmworkers are among the only hourly workers in Massachusetts who remain excluded from basic labor protections like minimum wage parity, overtime pay, guaranteed rest breaks, and access to earned time off.

These exclusions are rooted in a long history of racial and economic injustice—and correcting them is long overdue.

Key Provisions of the Fairness for Farm Workers Act:

Raises the agricultural minimum wage from the current $8/hour to the state standard of $15/hour.
Establishes overtime pay at 1.5x the regular wage after 55 hours/week of agricultural work, or 40 hours/week for agriculture-adjacent tasks. Currently, most agricultural workers are among the few hourly employees ineligible for overtime pay.
Guarantees two paid 15-minute breaks for workers scheduled for more than eight hours per day.
Provides one hour of paid time off (PTO) for every 40 hours worked, up to 55 hours per year. Massachusetts law currently does not require PTO for agricultural workers.
Includes tax credits to help farm employers offset the cost of increased wages and benefits.

At Gaining Ground, we are already meeting or exceeding the standards proposed in this legislation. We do so not because we are required to, but because it is the right thing to do. Our policies reflect our belief that farming is a profession worthy of respect, and that treating farmworkers equitably leads to a stronger, more effective team—and a healthier, more just food system.

We recognize that for some farms, adapting to new labor standards may present challenges. That is why we also support the bill’s provision for tax credits to help ease the transition. Fair labor practices and sustainable, economically viable farming can coexist, and this legislation is a key step toward making that future possible for all farms, regardless of their size.

In closing, we urge you to support the Fairness for Farm Workers Act and to help Massachusetts lead the nation in honoring and protecting the people who grow our food. Farmworkers deserve the same rights and protections as every other worker in our Commonwealth.

We encourage our community members to reach out to local legislators if they wish to make a comment about the bills being considered. Comments must be submitted before September 6, 2025. You can find your legislators and their contact information here.