The livestock industry is under heavy
fire with many challenges facing the business.
These include horse slaughter, agricultural education and the media, and
animal rights versus animal welfare. These issues deal directly with the
production of agriculture and how it is produced. While these issues are
important, the critical subject is the recent child labor law proposed changes
and the effect it will have on farm kids.
In October 2011, the Department of Labor
announced they would be revising the child labor laws pertaining to
agriculture. This has become important because this concerns everyone whether
they know it or not. Farm kids are the future of farming and agriculture and
they learn all they need to know when they are young. It’s the heart of the
industry.
There are some main concerns associated
with this issue. Farm kids earn valuable life skills when working on a farm.
They learn the importance of making sure animals are fed and healthy, a
critical part in the industry. They also learn about the soil, crops and
chemistry, which often times helps the students learn in the classroom because
they have already applied it to their life. Kids learn time management and
respect for others by taking care of the animals.
It also puts thousands of 4-H and FFA
projects in jeopardy. The proposal states, they would “[Prohibit] hired farm
workers under the age of 16 from operating almost all power-driven equipment.”
Several FFA members run their own businesses and this would strictly limit them
on their abilities to maintain that place of production. The proposed revision
would also “[Prevent] children [less than] 18 years of age from being employed
in the storing, marketing and transporting of farm-product raw materials.” Many
farm boys and girls often help their parents, uncles, and grandparents
specifically so they don’t have to hire extra help or because their parents,
etc. are unable to work. Farming is a never-ending job. The work must always be
completed in order to “feed the world.”
Farmers and their kids will be affected
by how this issue is resolved. FFA and 4-H programs will be the largest group
affected. A decline in animal projects will be seen because the parents will
have to do the work which is NOT the point of animal projects, therefore the
students will not enroll.
Opposing sides say, “Injury rate is
highest among children age 15 and under.” “An estimated 1.26 million children
and young adults less than 20 years of age reside on farms, with an estimated
725,000 working on the farms.6 On average, 104 children die each year as a
result of farm-related injury10 and more than 22,000 additional injuries occur
among children younger than 20 years of age on farms.”
I direct this to your attention from
personal experience and strict knowledge of the industry. It is important for
the Department of Labor to reconsider their actions and are now doing so as
announced February 1, 2012 by NCBA President Bill Donald at the 2012 NCBA
Convention, “The department announced this
afternoon that they will re-evaluate the original proposal.” Many thanks go out
to the NCBA’s efforts to stop, or at least re-evaluate, this litigation that
would affect the lives of thousands of farmers and ranchers all over the United
States.
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