Press Releases
Latta to DOL: “Proposed farm labor rule would hurt farmers and youth agriculture programs.”
Washington, D.C. ,
December 16, 2011
Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis regarding a proposed Department of Labor rule aimed at the agricultural industry that would threaten family farms and youth programs like 4-H and Future Farmers of America. The rule would restrict children younger than 16 years old from working on family farms – unless the farms were owned solely by their parents. Additionally, the changes would prohibit children from handling animals and almost all powered farm equipment. “This proposal will have negative effects on young people who want to gain practical experience on farms and in agribusiness,” said Rep. Latta. “Less than one percent of Ohioans earn a living on the farm, and the labor rules proposed from Washington not only stifle the Ag industry but prevent our nation from building the next generation of family farmers,” added Rep. Latta. The letter to Secretary Solis can be found here. |