June9,2009

OPEDCOLUMNIST

StateofShame
ByBOBHERBERT

Ferndale,N.Y.
ThebuildinghousingtheducksinthislushregionoftheCatskillsinupstateSullivanCountywashuge,a
crossbetweenagiganticQuonsethutandanairplanehangar.Theducks,tensofthousandsofthemready
tobeslaughteredforfoiegras,werestuffedandlistlessintheirpens.Itwasaveryweirdscene.Genetically
unabletoquack,theducksmovedverylittleandmadehardlyanynoise.
Animalrightsadvocateshavemadeabigdealaboutthewaytheducksareforcefedtoproducethe
enormouslyswollenliversfromwhichthefoiegrasismade.ButIvebeenlookingattheplightofthe
underpaid,overworkedandoftengruesomelyexploitedfarmworkerswhofeedandotherwisecareforthe
ducks.Theirlivesarehard.
Eachfeeder,forexample,isresponsibleforfeeding200to300(ormore)ducksindividuallythree
timesaday.Thefeederholdsaduckbetweenhisorherknees,insertsatubedowntheducksthroat,and
usesamotorizedfunneltoforcethefeedintothebird.Thenontothenextduck,hourafterhour,dayafter
day,weekafterweek.
Theroutineisbrutalandnotverysanitary.Eachfeedingtakesaboutfourhoursandoncethebirdsare
assignedafeeder,nooneelsecanbesubstitutedduringthe22dayforcefeedingperiodthatleadsuptothe
slaughter.Substitutingafeederwouldupsettheducks,accordingtotheownersofHudsonValleyFoie
Gras,whichoperatesthefarm.
Notonlydothefeedersgetnodaysoffduringthatlongstretch,andnoovertimeforanyofthelonghours,
buttheygetverylittletimeeventosleepeachday.Thefeedingschedulefortheducksmustberigidly
observed.
WhenIaskedoneoftheowners,IzzyYanay,aboutthelackofadayofrest,hesaidoftheworkers:This
notionthattheyneedtorestiscompletelyfutile.Theydontliketorest.Theywanttoworksevendays.
Coveringthisstoryhasbeenlikesteppingbackintime.FarmworkersinNewYorkdonothavethesame
legalrightsandprotectionsthatotherworkershave,andthestatesmultibilliondollaragricultureindustry
hastakenfulladvantageofthat.Theworkershavenorighttoadayofforovertimepay.Theydontgetany
paidvacationorsickdays.WhenIaskedoneworkerifheknewofanyonewhohadaretirementplan,he
laughedandlaughed.
TounderstandhowitspossibletotreatfarmworkersinNewYorkthiswayyouhavetolookbacktothe
1930swhenPresidentFranklinRooseveltwastryingtogetCongresstopasstheFairLaborStandardsAct
toprovidebasicwageandhourprotectionsforworkers.Amongtheopponentsweresegregationist

congressmenandsenatorswhowereoutragedthattheprotectionswouldapplytoblacksaswellaswhites.
Mostagriculturalanddomesticworkerswereblack,andthelegislationwasnotpasseduntilthosetwo
categoriesofworkerswereexcluded.NewYorkStatelawmakers,underheavyandsustainedpressurefrom
theagriculturelobby,havesimilarlyexemptedfarmworkers(thevastmajorityofwhomarenowLatino)
frommoststatelaborlawprotections.
TherewasagoodchancerightupuntilMonday,whentheStateSenatewentthroughasuddenand
cataclysmicchangefromDemocratictoRepublicancontrolthatsomethingmightbedoneaboutthis
legislatively.OnMondayevening,theAssemblypassed(andGov.DavidPatersonhaspromisedtosign)a
billextendingmuchneededlaborprotectionstofarmworkers,includingtherighttoatleastonedayofrest
perweekand,moreimportant,therighttobargaincollectively.
Republicansenatorsweresplitonthebill,however,andtheNewYorkFarmBureau,theleadlobbying
agencyfortheagricultureindustry,isfuriouslyopposedtopassage.WiththeupheavalintheSenate,the
fateofthebill,calledtheFarmworkersFairLaborPracticesAct,isunknown.
Amajorsupporterofthebill,theRev.RichardWitt,executivedirectoroftheRuralandMigrantMinistryof
NewYork,saidtheSenateshiftwouldhavenoeffectonthecampaignforpassageofthebill.Another
supporter,KerryKennedy,founderoftheRobertF.KennedyCenterforJusticeandHumanRights,also
saidshewillcontinuetopushhardforpassage.
ItsshockingthattheseconditionscouldexistinNewYorkState,Ms.Kennedysaid.Wetalkedtoa
workerwhohadnothadadayoffin10years.
ThatisnotanargumentthatcarriesmuchweightwiththeFarmBureau.SoundinglikeanechoofMr.
Yanay,thebureausspokesman,PeterGreggsaid,Theydontwantdaysoff.Thefarmworkerswantto
work.Theycameheretomakemoney.
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