Governor, Attorney General Say Federal Proposal Bad for Kansas Agriculture

U.S. Department of Labor proposed child labor rule would
limit learning opportunities TOPEKA -(December 1, 2011) -Kansas
GovernorSam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt today
submitted a letter urging the U.S. Department of Labor to revise
its newly proposed rule pertaining to child labor laws on Kansas
family farms. They are concerned the rule as written would have a
negative effect on youth seeking to work in Kansas agriculture the
states largest industry. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Dale
Rodman, Secretary of Commerce Pat George and Secretary of Labor
Karin Brownlee voiced similar concerns in a separate letter. Among
other restrictions, the proposed rule would prohibit 14- and
15-year-old farm workers from operating almost any power-driven
equipment, including farm tractors and lawn mowers, regardless of
safety training completed, and working with certain types of
animals. The learning opportunities provided by working in
agriculture are second to none, Gov. Brownback said. Spending time
of a farm or ranch teaches young people the value of hard work and
instills in them a respect for land and animals. Unfortunately,
this proposed rule reduces the potential for young people to take
advantage of safe, educational and legal work opportunities in
agriculture. The proposed rule would also have a significant
negative effect on the education and leadership experiences offered
through 4-H, FFA and agricultural education. Brownback and Schmidt
say they both benefited from spending time working on family
members farms. However, the proposed rule threatens this Kansas
tradition. This proposed regulation is a one-size-fits-all
bureaucratic assault on rural culture, Attorney General Schmidt
said. If this had been the law when I was a kid working on my
grandpa's farm, a formative part of my childhood would have been
illegal. In addition to the short-term benefits of farm jobs for
youth, training is especially important for young people who hope
to develop a career owning or managing a farm or ranch, Brownback
and Schmidt stated. This country was built on agriculture and the
strength of the country still depends on the agriculture industry,
Secretary Rodman said. This regulation would have a detrimental
effect on this critical industry. Brownback, Schmidt, Rodman,
George and Brownlee encouraged the U.S. Department of Labor to
revise the proposed rule taking into account the structure of farms
today and the value of traditional on-farm training for
youth.