Is this the death of the family farm?

[fsquid]

Boom!

Under pressure from farming advocates in rural communities, and following a report by The Daily Caller, the Obama administration withdrew a proposed rule Thursday that would have applied child labor laws to family farms.

Critics complained that the regulation would have drastically changed the extent to which children could work on farms owned by family members. The U.S. Department of Labor cited public outcry as the reason for withdrawing the rule.

“The decision to withdraw this rule â€" including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption’ â€" was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms,” the Department said in a press release Thursday evening. “To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration.”

The rule would have dramatically changed what types of chores children under the age of 16 could perform on and around American farms. It would have prohibited them from working with tobacco, operating almost all types of power-driven equipment and being employed to work with raw farm materials.

[BridgeTroll]

All I am saying is that DOL needs the input of the folks affected by this rule so that it can be modified so that it does not interfere with traditional rural and ag culture.

I would imagine that is one of the reasons they set up this site:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=WHD-2011-0001-0001 

Perhaps before we propose new rules, we should state the reason that the proposal is justified. 

Perhaps if you read the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (http://webapps.dol.gov/FederalRegister/HtmlDisplay.aspx?DocId=25286&Month=9&Year=2011) you'll see that they do just that, in quite lengthy detail.

I have to thank you for the link... apparently quite a few people used it... 

[JeffreyS]

Boom!

Under pressure from farming advocates in rural communities, and following a report by The Daily Caller, the Obama administration withdrew a proposed rule Thursday that would have applied child labor laws to family farms.

Critics complained that the regulation would have drastically changed the extent to which children could work on farms owned by family members. The U.S. Department of Labor cited public outcry as the reason for withdrawing the rule.

“The decision to withdraw this rule â€" including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption’ â€" was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms,” the Department said in a press release Thursday evening. “To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration.”

The rule would have dramatically changed what types of chores children under the age of 16 could perform on and around American farms. It would have prohibited them from working with tobacco, operating almost all types of power-driven equipment and being employed to work with raw farm materials.

The Republicans are on fire. They score again as Republicans continue to utterly dominate in their game against children.

[NotNow]

Boom!

Under pressure from farming advocates in rural communities, and following a report by The Daily Caller, the Obama administration withdrew a proposed rule Thursday that would have applied child labor laws to family farms.

Critics complained that the regulation would have drastically changed the extent to which children could work on farms owned by family members. The U.S. Department of Labor cited public outcry as the reason for withdrawing the rule.

“The decision to withdraw this rule â€" including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption’ â€" was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms,” the Department said in a press release Thursday evening. “To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration.”

The rule would have dramatically changed what types of chores children under the age of 16 could perform on and around American farms. It would have prohibited them from working with tobacco, operating almost all types of power-driven equipment and being employed to work with raw farm materials.

The Republicans are on fire. They score again as Republicans continue to utterly dominate in their game against children.

Sigh....could it be possible that "farming advocates" are those that would have been affected by this rule? 

"Republican game against children"?  Really Jeffrey?  Your too intelligent to post this kind of drivel. 

We should be happy that the system worked.  It seems an honest but misguided attempt was made to protect children, and that the affected population pointed out the errors in the proposal and managed to persuade DOL to withdraw it. 

The vast majority of this country does not care about or want to be involved in the Democrat v. Republican game. 

[JeffreyS]

I admit it was a shot and not as funny when I read it as it was in my head.  The spin (mine) was born from the idea that spin caused the backlash we see that eliminated this effort to ensure child safety in a work place.  I am sure it was not perfect but I did not hear arguments against it that seemed reasonable.  No one citing laws that cover the kids already or records of farm safety that make regulation review unnecessary.  Just anecdotes that kids have had to work hard in the past to support their parents chosen field of work and lifestyle so lets keep at it. 

[BridgeTroll]

Boom!

Under pressure from farming advocates in rural communities, and following a report by The Daily Caller, the Obama administration withdrew a proposed rule Thursday that would have applied child labor laws to family farms.

Critics complained that the regulation would have drastically changed the extent to which children could work on farms owned by family members. The U.S. Department of Labor cited public outcry as the reason for withdrawing the rule.

“The decision to withdraw this rule â€" including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption’ â€" was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms,” the Department said in a press release Thursday evening. “To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration.”

The rule would have dramatically changed what types of chores children under the age of 16 could perform on and around American farms. It would have prohibited them from working with tobacco, operating almost all types of power-driven equipment and being employed to work with raw farm materials.

The Republicans are on fire. They score again as Republicans continue to utterly dominate in their game against children.

First women... now children... next up... puppies and kittens.   

[JeffreyS]

^ We already covered the puppies when Mitt strapped his mutt to the roof.

[BridgeTroll]

We are just happy he didnt eat it...

[fsquid]

I admit it was a shot and not as funny when I read it as it was in my head.  The spin (mine) was born from the idea that spin caused the backlash we see that eliminated this effort to ensure child safety in a work place.  I am sure it was not perfect but I did not hear arguments against it that seemed reasonable.  No one citing laws that cover the kids already or records of farm safety that make regulation review unnecessary.  Just anecdotes that kids have had to work hard in the past to support their parents chosen field of work and lifestyle so lets keep at it.

If you were going for spin you should have praised Obama for reversing such a bad idea.

[JeffreyS]

That may have been a good spin for him politically but counter to what I would praise him for.  It is telling to me that in the objections to new Child safety laws no one seems to be saying it isn't needed because this workplace is safe.  I hope the reason is not that the opposition does not care about that point.  How ever since I posted my concern over no one vouching for Children's safety in the agricultural experience a few hours ago no one has stepped forward to say it is safe. So perhaps that just isn't the priority to the opposition that say calling out Obama for trying to protect children is.

So I am wondering if someone is willing to say it is by in large safe workplace for children now.

[NotNow]

Wouldn't it be incumbent upon the regulatory authority to show that unsafe practices exist?  And then show that the proposed regulation would mitigate those practices while respecting the property and liberty of those affected?  I haven't read of any huge loss of children on farms. 

Probably the best thing that could be done would be to retrofit roll over protection on every tractor in the nation.  The second thing that would help would be a "tractor class" by 4H and similar clubs to educate young farmers on handling tractors on other than dry, level ground as well as PTO operations and hazards.   The third thing is to keep kids off of the large animals but I don't think that any amount of lecture or "corporal punishment" will keep farm boys off of bulls and farm girls off of horses. 

I agree that we need to safeguard ALL of our children, but we should focus on the real hazards here and how the problems can be solved IN the community...not by decree. 

[JeffreyS]

A reasonable position.  I was specifically talking about the discussion here not having a voice trying to convince me that the farming industry is already safe for children.

A little buzzing around on the internet first glance it seems like we could solve a lot of rural child safety issues if we could just 1. get kids off ATVs 2. away from tractors and balers and 3. keep the ponds and other water on the farms supervised.

[NotNow]

Sounds about right.  We didn't have ATV's when I was a kid, but I tore up a few dirt bikes and got banged up a good bit.  No doubt tractors and balers are dangerous, I've seen a few of those accidents.   Supervision by the parents is probably the best short term answer.  Country kids don't do a lot of the dangerous stuff city kids do, but they have some of their own daredevil totems of youth.

[fsquid]

Tractors are pretty safe, you can trust a kid about ten to do that.

No doubt the fatality rate for Farming is higher, for all ages.  I think that part of that is there is no one around when these things happen.  Just the nature of the business.

[Adam W]

Thank god washington is putting a stop to it...

The conservative mantra.  If you repeat a lie over and over, it must be true.

+1000000