Farm Bureau president praises decision on family farm labor

Dean Norton, president of the NYS Farm Bureau, and Elba resident, provided the following statement on the Department of Labor's decision regarding proposed rule changes for children working on farms:

We at NYFB are extremely grateful for the public outcry over the regs that UDOL had proposed and appreciate the action by the farming community to make their collective voice heard on what would have been some very intrusive rules for farm families. It is refreshing to see that common sense was achieved in the withdrawal of the proposed rules.

As provided by Norton, here's the statement from the DOL:

“The 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. As a result, the Department of Labor is announcing today the withdrawal of the proposed rule dealing with children under the age of 16 who work in agricultural vocations. 

The decision to withdraw this rule – including provisions to define the "parental exemption" – was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms. To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama Administration. Instead, the departments of Labor and Agriculture will work with rural stakeholders – such as the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, the Future Farmers of America, and 4-H – to develop an educational program to reduce accidents to young workers and promote safer agricultural working practices.”