Why You Should be Concerned About Ballot Amendment 2 in November
October FloridAgriculture eNewsletter
Ballot Amendment 2 is a Constitutional amendment for voters to consider on November 3 that will raise the mandatory minimum wage in Florida to $15 an hour. This will increase payroll costs for businesses with minimum wage workers by up to 77%.
Similar measures adopted in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C., have proven to kill jobs. Coupled with the long-term effects of COVID-19 on Florida’s economy, Ballot Amendment 2 will have catastrophic impacts on family owned and small businesses, which are the backbone of our state. The state’s top industries – including hospitality, agriculture and construction – will suffer the most.
A wage mandate will leave farmers and growers with few options. Farmers will either have to increase productivity, automate more processes or raise the prices of goods. For those that automate to increase productivity, many workers may lose their jobs.
Florida’s farmers are already competing against other states with a lower minimum wage, and also with other countries that have limited regulations around farm labor and wages. If costs for Florida farm products go up, it will likely cause additional purchases of imported products instead.
If Amendment 2 passes, businesses will close, individuals will lose their jobs, and Florida consumers will also be left paying higher prices.
Florida Farm Bureau has a policy that opposes an increase to the minimum wage, and the State Board of Directors recently voted to oppose Amendment 2.
Learn more about how Ballot Amendment 2 will devastate Florida at Amendment2HurtsYou.com.
Help save Florida jobs by voting no on Ballot Amendment 2 this November.
