Another nail in the coffin

[MikeA57]

They're just gonna keep on keepin on aren't they?

Anger over gov't plans to dictate child farm labor (OneNewsNow.com)

 

[bcp]

From:
WHD News Release: US Labor Department proposes updates to child labor regulations [08/31/2011]

"The FLSA also provides a complete exemption for youths employed on farms owned by their parents."

 

[johnrex62]

No better way to promote government as a way of life that to prohibit learning to work and feed yourself.

 

[newbury]

Yeah
And the Obama administration steps in and puts a halt to it.

The U.S. Department of Labor today issued the following statement regarding the withdrawal of a proposed rule dealing with children who work in agricultural vocations:
典he Obama administration is firmly committed to promoting family farmers and respecting the rural way of life, especially the role that parents and other family members play in passing those traditions down through the generations. The Obama administration is also deeply committed to listening and responding to what Americans across the country have to say about proposed rules and regulations.

Department of Labor withdrawls rule dealing with children working on farms | Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal

 

[seymojo536]

Same thing happened when some government yahoo decided that muscovy ducks needed to be regulated. Took a tidal wave of outraged citizens to get them to back down. At least the process worked. My grandpa always said if farmers ever formed a union, they could control the country.

 

[sfloggie]

From what I read the Prohibition for children to work on their farms was withdrawn but not the 4-H/FHA revocations course requirement. Hopefully, I am wrong.

"revoke the government痴 approval of safety training and certification taught by independent groups like 4-H and FFA, replacing them instead with a 90-hour federal government training course."

 

[czechsonofagun]

The same story the world over. They think if they create enough laws and regulations they wll create the heaven. Stupid bozos

 

[turnkey4099]

The entire thing was a tempest in a teapot and totally distorted from the git-go. It did NOT prohibit kids from working on family farms, FHA, etc.

All i did was prohibit PAID work off the family farm. It was basic child labor law and I do not understand why it was stopped.

Yes, back when I was a kid, we went to work around and on farm machinery from the time we were old enough to be of at least some use. I was on a tractor at 12, first paid job was 10hr/6day/wk at a booming $42 a week plus found and glad to have it.

No other industry is allowed to hire 16 YOA kids, why should farmers?

Harry K

 

[aczlan]

The entire thing was a tempest in a teapot and totally distorted from the git-go. It did NOT prohibit kids from working on family farms, FHA, etc.
All i did was prohibit PAID work off the family farm. It was basic child labor law and I do not understand why it was stopped.

Because its definition of a family farm was one that your parents were the sole owners.
If your dad and 3 uncles jointly owned/ran "grandpas farm" it would have prohibited them from working there.
In our case, my inlaws have a farm and we do hay. If we are short on people, they hire my siblings (most of whom are still in their teens) when it comes time to stack the hay in the wagons and load it into the barn. That wouldn't have been allowed under the purposed rules.

Aaron Z

 

[Ridgewalker]

From the time I could lift a hay bail I worked on my uncle's farm in the summer hauling hay. I remember being proud to be the guy on the wagon...it was like a promotion to get out of the hay barn. (We hitched the wagon to the baler which was pulled by the tractor.)

Those were great days, make a few bucks and then head to the river that ran thru the property to cool off afterward. His MIL would have a big dinner waiting on us...fun times.

That's why this law needed to die...

 

[Domush]

Because its definition of a family farm was one that your parents were the sole owners.
If your dad and 3 uncles jointly owned/ran "grandpas farm" it would have prohibited them from working there.
In our case, my inlaws have a farm and we do hay. If we are short on people, they hire my siblings (most of whom are still in their teens) when it comes time to stack the hay in the wagons and load it into the barn. That wouldn't have been allowed under the purposed rules.

Aaron Z

Tell me, when "hiring" your siblings, are they paid in cash under the table or hired as employees with tax withholding, worker's comp insurance and safety inspections?

If the former, you are already breaking the law. It isn't like your family ever planned on following the law even if it was fair to extended-family-owned businesses.

Young workers suffer fatalities at 500% the rate of children doing other work, and far more disabling injuries. Although federal law prohibits children under 18 from doing hazardous work in other industries, it allows 16 and 17-year-olds to do hazardous work in agriculture, which the National Safety Council calls our most hazardous industry.

This is the bill you want quashed?

I agree, family farms (including extended family) should be able to have family working it, but there is no need to exempt the random farm from the same child labor laws everyone else must abide by.

As it is, children who work as farm laborers have barely a 50% high school graduation rate. We need these kids to be educated, so we aren't wasting the money the farmers are saving by incarcerating them or paying them welfare later on.

Make no mistake, I grew up on a farm, baled hay, picked crops, even lead the cattle onto the trucks for slaughter. I enjoyed every bit of it (except the picking! ugh!), but it was highly dangerous and putting other peoples' kid's lives at risk should not be allowed on the farm or in the factory. Dangerous work should be limited to people mentally and physically capable of handling it.

Frankly, most of what I did on my family farm was far more dangerous than the things I do today as an adult. I love telling stories about what I did when I was 8 years old, like leading 1000+lb angus onto the trucks or driving the pickup pulling the hay trailer while standing, as I couldn't reach the pedals and sit on the seat at the same time, but in reality I like telling them because I'm a little shocked I survived.

 

[kootch88]

When I worked on the farms surrounding me in the 60's and 70's we were paid 5 bucks a day after school and 15 on Saturday and Sunday. It was hard work, but at least we had money in our pockets and learned how to work and work hard. I know it was dangerous work and we had no insurance unless our parents had it, but I would hate to think of not having done that stuff *** a kid.

 

[tglass]

When I worked on the farms surrounding me in the 60's and 70's we were paid 5 bucks a day after school and 15 on Saturday and Sunday. It was hard work, but at least we had money in our pockets and learned how to work and work hard. I know it was dangerous work and we had no insurance unless our parents had it, but I would hate to think of not having done that stuff *** a kid.

A kid, and a kid as I was. Some of the best of times, and nothing I would forget today as learning and realizing about life. We were wild, and younger kids are too, but it was and still is a part of growing up. Try to keep them out of harms way, and let them do things you see are wrong so they will be able to make their own decisions and learn from it. Quite a balancing act isn't it?

 

[aczlan]

Quite a balancing act isn't it?

That it is. I agree that there should be more protections for youth working on farms, but there needs to be a balance between the two.

Aaron Z

 

[lockhaven]

My first job was on a farm, and no I did not pay any tax. i wish I could do that today. I had more money then my classmates that were working at garages restaurants etc. I was paid in cash

 

[Ken]

Tell me, when "hiring" your siblings, are they paid in cash under the table or hired as employees with tax withholding, worker's comp insurance and safety inspections?

If the former, you are already breaking the law. It isn't like your family ever planned on following the law even if it was fair to extended-family-owned businesses.



This is the bill you want quashed?

I agree, family farms (including extended family) should be able to have family working it, but there is no need to exempt the random farm from the same child labor laws everyone else must abide by.

As it is, children who work as farm laborers have barely a 50% high school graduation rate. We need these kids to be educated, so we aren't wasting the money the farmers are saving by incarcerating them or paying them welfare later on.

Make no mistake, I grew up on a farm, baled hay, picked crops, even lead the cattle onto the trucks for slaughter. I enjoyed every bit of it (except the picking! ugh!), but it was highly dangerous and putting other peoples' kid's lives at risk should not be allowed on the farm or in the factory. Dangerous work should be limited to people mentally and physically capable of handling it.

Frankly, most of what I did on my family farm was far more dangerous than the things I do today as an adult. I love telling stories about what I did when I was 8 years old, like leading 1000+lb angus onto the trucks or driving the pickup pulling the hay trailer while standing, as I couldn't reach the pedals and sit on the seat at the same time, but in reality I like telling them because I'm a little shocked I survived.

The Foot ball coach Can exercise the kids until they fall out . can be injured twisted arms knees blown out head injuries and all for the School glory. But no work to learn how to farm life really is. Where is the 50% of farm kids that fail school. Most return to the farm with college degree in farming .

Have a college teaching brother that is educated well past his ability to do any work.
ken

 

[turnkey4099]

Tell me, when "hiring" your siblings, are they paid in cash under the table or hired as employees with tax withholding, worker's comp insurance and safety inspections?

If the former, you are already breaking the law. It isn't like your family ever planned on following the law even if it was fair to extended-family-owned businesses.



This is the bill you want quashed?

I agree, family farms (including extended family) should be able to have family working it, but there is no need to exempt the random farm from the same child labor laws everyone else must abide by.

<snip>

Yep, that's the bill. I was shocked to hear that they had pulled it. It was plain and simple nothing but a child labor bill and should have been passed.

That we all did things back when we were kids does not make it a sensible practice. The big money maker for us back in the 40s/early 50s was the potato harvest. Stoop labor at its
worst but we eagerly awaited the chance to make some money. I dunno if the farmers had a cutoff on ages they would hire but I saw a lot of very young kids out there.

Harry K

 

[jim_wilson]

The entire thing was a tempest in a teapot and totally distorted from the git-go. It did NOT prohibit kids from working on family farms, FHA, etc.

All i did was prohibit PAID work off the family farm. It was basic child labor law and I do not understand why it was stopped.

Yes, back when I was a kid, we went to work around and on farm machinery from the time we were old enough to be of at least some use. I was on a tractor at 12, first paid job was 10hr/6day/wk at a booming $42 a week plus found and glad to have it.

No other industry is allowed to hire 16 YOA kids, why should farmers?

Harry K

Why shouldn't other industries be able to hire 16 year old kids?

Why do you want to continue to discriminate against 16 year old kids simply because they might not live near enought to a farm where they could get work?