2024 Becker Forum
Event Details
Date
January 22, 2024
Time
8:30am-5:00pm
Location
OnCenter
800 S. State Street
Syracuse, NY
Host
Cornell Ag Workforce Development/NYS Vegetable Growers Assoc.
email
Event Registration
Becker Forum
The Becker Forum is back at the Oncenter in Syracuse, NY on Monday, January 22, 2024 from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
Topics include:
- H-2A Job Classifications and Wage Rates
- NY Overtime Tax Credit
- NY Farm Labor Union Update
- Labor Laws and Best Practices for Growers During an Audit
- Improving Farm Labor Effectiveness and Efficiency
- Farm and Food Workers Relief Grant Program
- Unemployment Insurance and Partial Employment
Guest speakers will include Attorney Joshua Viau of Fisher Phillips Law Firm, Attorney Chris Schulte of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, Sarah Decker and Ivette Vigano of the U.S. Department of Labor and more.
If you have H2A employees and are unsure of how to fill in job order requests this year, a representative of US DOL (national) will be here to help interpret the new regulations!

Upcoming Events
New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People (Hudson Valley)
March 10, 2026 : New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People
Millbrook, NY
Are you moving into a supervisory farm management role this season and want to get off to a good start? Are you an experienced manager who wants to connect with other "people" managers and work on your skills? This one-day workshop is for you!
SPARC WSU Tree Fruit Heat School
March 11, 2026
As part of our multi-state SPARC SCRI project on mitigating orchard heat and cold stress, the WSU Tree Fruit Heat School will focus on understanding and managing heat-related challenges in apple and pear production. The program brings together research-based insights and applied discussions on sunburn physiology and mitigation, red color development in apples and pears, and the impacts of heat on postharvest storage and fruit quality. Each session will include an expert presentation, followed by a panel discussion with panelists from across the US.
Urban Ag Food Safety Webinar
March 11, 2026
Urban and small-scale producers are encouraged to join us for the Urban Ag Food Safety webinar, featuring speakers from Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell IPM. We will explore the 'why' behind food safety, providing a basic overview and diving into specific urban ag considerations including water, pest, rodent, and soil health challenges. We will touch on the regulation and marketing landscape, and share resources for learning more. Bring your questions!
