A newly launched website, Keep Families Farming, allows individual farmers, as well as organizations, to register their concerns about the Labor Department’s youth labor proposal.
DOL last year announced it was considering amending the department’s regulations concerning agricultural jobs that are off-limits to minors. Despite the department’s announcement last week that it is going to re-propose the “parental exemption” part of the rule, farmers and ranchers are still worried about the proposed changes, which could significantly affect the way families work their operations.
Through Keep Families Farming, individuals can tell their own stories and file comments. In addition, the site also allows organizations to register their support of the effort. AFBF strongly supports this effort and urges state Farm Bureaus to list themselves as a supporting organization and to encourage their members to file their own stories and comments about how the rule will affect them.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) plans to use the website’s stories and comments during a meeting with DOL officials later this month.
Bob Stallman statement re: child labor rule decision
