The Labor Department announced today that it is backtracking on a proposed rule that would have kept youths from working on family farms.
“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,” Labor said in a statement. “To be clear, this regulation will not be pursued for the duration of the Obama administration.”
While not targeting kids under 16 who work in “agricultural vocations,” the Labor Department said it would be setting up an “educational program” regarding kids on farms.
“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,” the statement said.
Congressmen representing rural areas rejoiced at the turnabout.
“The fact that this rule was ever proposed in the first place was absurd, and it shows the administration’s fundamental misunderstanding of what it takes to run a family farm,” said Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.). “I am, however, glad to see the administration exercise common sense and actually listen to the thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect it would have on family-owned farms.”
“Agriculture is vital to our region’s economy and food security, and I look forward to continuing to work with New Yorkers to ensure Washington works for the farming community — not against it,” said Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.).
The proposed regulations would have kept children on farms from participating in a variety of activities including operating a tractor, applying pesticides and working with livestock.
“This policy was not only unnecessary, it threatened the very way of life that I and so many others hold dear,” said Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). “When will President Obama realize that his out of touch policies do not reflect the values of the American people? His actions continue to show that he is disconnected with the people in the heartland of this great country.”
There is nothing Omama will NOT touch. “Out of Touch” is a Conservative Media Coverup. Knock it off! HE BACKED OFF BECAUSE OF THE “SOUTHERN VOTE” HE NEEDS TO WIN. THIS IS ALL INTENTIONAL, EVERY BIT OF IT, WITH EVERY BREATH HE TAKES. MARXISM IS ALWAYS ON THE MOVE NON-STOP, SO DON’T COVER HIS A$$ FOR HIM. CALL A SPADE A SPADE!
“CALL A SPADE A SPADE!” In this case, I’d call it a f**king shovel.
“…the Labor Department said it would be setting up an “educational program” regarding kids on farms.”
Oh yeah, because the gov’t already is doing such a good job of educating kids in public schools.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/04/26/Exclusive-Indoctrination-101-Duncan-Approves-of-Schools-Teaching-Protest-Techniques
“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,” the statement said.
I wonder if this isn’t a case of “two steps forward, one step back”, or Lenin’s “salami tactic”.
Were federal agencies “working” with “rural stakeholders” before this? I don’t know, but if not, then it sounds like they’ve gotten their foot in the door now.
You’ve got it.
They couldn’t get their way by direct action so they are trying stealth action. The bureaucracy that would have gone after “child labor” is still being built up under the guise of education and they are infiltrating these private groups. Once the government gets its nose in them, it will try to take them over. I’ve seen this plenty of times with the Park Service and other Federal entities. You let them in a little and they try to take over the whole show. These groups would do well to tell the feds to kiss off.
They also said they would not try to reimpose these rules “for the duration of the Obama administration.” That means they will try again at some future date. Also, they are bureaucrats so you can expect them to lie. They haven’t given up, they just failed as muggers so they are becoming pickpockets.
Very good points. However:
“They haven’t given up, they just failed as muggers so they are becoming pickpockets.”
Shouldn’t that be: “They haven’t given up, because when they fail as muggers they become pickpockets.”
Seems to me, they’re always operating on both fronts: face-to-face holdups and sneaky pickpocketing. They simply move from one to the other (and back again) as circumstances dictate.
So the cockroaches backed off on a new, dictatorial farm labor law when the flashlight hit them, but they will still set up an “educational program.”
If this doesn’t send a chill up your back, you’ve never read Orwell.
The worst part is that; “Congressmen representing rural areas rejoiced at the turnabout.” Rejoiced? They should be screamingly pissed off that it was even tried!
My grandparents were dairy farmers so the pesticides I didn’t do, but to work with livestock or drive a tractor was a daily occurrence for much of my youth. I learned a wonderful work ethic there and when a college professor asked a class if we knew where our food came from, I was able to tell her exactly and name the local farmers that raised it. (In retrospect, I should have described in detail what goes into slaughtering a pig on a family farm. It would have been fun.) I also know that without 16 grandchildren to help run that farm, my grandparents would have had to retire much younger and many of their neighbors would have had to as well if their grandkids hadn’t come to help out after school and that those grandparents/parents didn’t need the government to teach us about the dangerous side of agriculture. Tractors are big and can tip over easily; bulls are huge and unpredictable and rams are big and unpredictable (this is why dogs are necessity); tools are sharp, don’t play with them; wash the produce, all of it, because you mucked the stalls to get the fertilizer, etc.
I really wish the government would just get out of the nanny business…farm kids especially don’t need it, we learn self-sufficiency young and for life.
All of these groups already have stringent developed curriculum for safety programs…. in Texas, ours are developed by Texas A&M researchers. What precisely can a bureaucrat from the Department of Labor bring to the table besides increased paranoia and intimidation. The “compromise” of pulling back the rule is handing over our children to their influence and giving them access to our property.
I’ll believe this turn of events the same way I believe Obama “compromised” with the Catholic Church and the Obamacare Mandates. Compliance with that Compromise required the commission of 3 mortal sins. These guys live by stealth and “dark of night” regulation. It’s merely a tactical retreat, not a surrender.
Obama and his cronies live in such an isolated echo chamber they truly believe Americans desire their vision of a laissez-faire nanny state utopia. And just like the recent PR missteps with the Catholic Church and Stay at Home Moms, the administration failed to understand the people they sought to slander.
This just in…
King discovers the yeoman peasantry carry pitchforks and scythes.