Rural Issue
Iowa ag secretary criticizes child labor regs
Iowa secretary of agriculture Bill Northey is criticizing those proposed federal regulations that could limit the work and involvement of youth on family farms.
Northey says the rules could discourage farmers from engaging young people in agriculture—and prevent future farmers from acquiring the critical skills and experience needed for a successful career in agriculture.
Northey calls the proposal from the U.S. Department of Labor “a prime example of federal overreach”—and says the continued threat of new regulations like these, coming out of Washington, creates a lot of uncertainty for farmers.
“Agriculture out here is a long-term business and we’d like to be able to know what those rules are for a long time,” Northey says, “and when some of these come up and surprise us, it causes folks to think, ‘well, wait a minute—what are they going to do next—and do I really want to farm’.”
Northey and Iowa governor Terry Branstad have co-authored a letter to the U.S. Labor Secretary requesting an additional 45 day extension for comments on the regulation—until January 15, 2012. They want farmers who are just completing their fall harvest and doing fall field work to have a fair chance to submit comments.
The Labor Department recently extended the comment deadline from November 1st to December 1st.
AUDIO: Bill Northey (6:48 MP3)
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