Read this! You kids will not be able to work on your farm anymore!!

[dainerra]

they have more than one form letter? Or is it two? "Thanks for your interest" and "Send donations" ?

 

[Clay Mudd]

they have more than one form letter? Or is it two? "Thanks for your interest" and "Send donations" ?

They have different ones for different subjects. "Thank you for your comments on the Defense Porkbarrel, Earmarks and Bribes Bill. I have spent my entire career fighting government waste while maximizing the amount of defense spending in our fair State..."

 

[LaynaDon95]

The parental rights is what I'm concerned about. They are "rights" not "privileges" that the government can take away. I don't care if they think it is unsafe for children to be operating machinery on farms, it's none of their business. And only farms owned by the family will be exempt not operated by the family.

 

[AllenWMiller]

Another issue with the "family owned" exemption is this includes the "family children" as exempt; but it does not exempt the local teenagers the "family farm" hires for seasonal work. If this is the case, this too will cause undue hardship on the small holders and family farms generally; not to mention it will be a disservice to the community surrounding the farms.

Many folks are "okay" with the regulations; since it appears to affect only the "large corporate" farms. I can assure you from decades of experience that any bill that "appears" to affect only large business will invariably affect us all adversely!

Ultimately, this will making farming more expensive and less profitable for the small holder and private family farms; while the large corporate farms will merely pass the costs along to you the consumer. Small holders/family farms cannot pass the expenses along as they tend to have a more difficult time selling their harvests into the open market due to lack of volume; so they are forced to sell into CoOps at a lower price because the CoOp also has to pay for operating expenses as the middleman.

Remember I can paint a black horse white and sell it as a white horse; but it doesn't make it a white horse! Read the intent of this bill not just the language itself there is a great deal left open to interpret. ( I would also wonder how many have actually read the entire proposed document? And how many "tact ons" will politicians add as the bill makes its way through Congress; which the American people never see until the law is enacted?)

If you observe that at 97 I don't trust our government you would be correct; as the government since Nixon has given us very little to trust in and since Reagan nothing to trust in!

 

[RHRanch]

Another issue with the "family owned" exemption is this includes the "family children" as exempt; but it does not exempt the local teenagers the "family farm" hires for seasonal work. If this is the case, this too will cause undue hardship on the small holders and family farms generally; not to mention it will be a disservice to the community surrounding the farms.

Many folks are "okay" with the regulations; since it appears to affect only the "large corporate" farms. I can assure you from decades of experience that any bill that "appears" to affect only large business will invariably affect us all adversely!

Ultimately, this will making farming more expensive and less profitable for the small holder and private family farms; while the large corporate farms will merely pass the costs along to you the consumer. Small holders/family farms cannot pass the expenses along as they tend to have a more difficult time selling their harvests into the open market due to lack of volume; so they are forced to sell into CoOps at a lower price because the CoOp also has to pay for operating expenses as the middleman.

Remember I can paint a black horse white and sell it as a white horse; but it doesn't make it a white horse! Read the intent of this bill not just the language itself there is a great deal left open to interpret.

How? (I am referring particularly to the highlighted section above) You would have to pay the same wage to a 14 year old or a 16 year old or and 18 year old that you hire for the same work. How does making an age restriction on children that can be hired lead to the economic destruction of the family farm?

 

[AllenWMiller]

How? (I am referring particularly to the highlighted section above) You would have to pay the same wage to a 14 year old or a 16 year old or and 18 year old that you hire for the same work. How does making an age restriction on children that can be hired lead to the economic destruction of the family farm?


Simply by limiting the pool of potential farm workers available to select from. A 14 or 15 year old may be very willing to do summer work on a farm; whereas a 16 or 18 year will almost invariable prefer working in another trade. I also have to wonder since 14 and 15 year olds have been working on farms "legally" since the 40's and statistically have been "safe" even according to the Department of Labor; then why now the "scare" of child endangerment?

My grandson worked the farm and farm equipment since he was old enough to walk. We didn't force him, he eagerly wanted to. Likewise, many of the local kids who weren't farm folk were envious of my grandson for being able to operate a tractor at 14 and wanted to join in. We allowed this with their parent's consent not without and these teenagers have often grown up to take their place in agriculture. But this regulation would stop the practice cold. And my concern is what chilling affect this will have on raising up future farmers in this country? Family/small holder farming as a way of life is being threatened daily and I believe this will be yet one more way to push the family and small holders down further and will do little to affect corporate farming.

Just look to various slaughter houses (I won't mention names as I don't want to be sued) all of which operate daily with illegal workers. Does our government step in and fine these businesses for illegal workers? No. They allow them to continue to operate un fined and undeterred. How well does the law work in this instance? Yet I can name many small holders and family farms who regularly see INS and other federal departments pouring over their employment records for illegals. Do you think when this regulation is passed it will be any different? I don't think so. I think the corporate farms will be left alone and the small holders and family farms will share the brunt of this law. I may be a cynic in this but past practice of our government is a sure indicator of how it will behave in the future!

When a farmer and an outside parent come to agreement about allowing a current "legal" teenager to work according to the current regulations, why should the government step in and amend what has been working for more than half a century. Do you consider a 14 or 15 year old working on a farm child endangerment? If you do then I am certain you are not a farmer or a 14 year old who is eagerly waiting to work during their summer on a farm.

And why are we are we and are government so concentrated on regulating issues like this but so unwilling to re regulate the banks and wall street and corporations generally? This is yet another smoke screen being thrown up on a "non issue" to conceal the lack of movement on real issues.

 

[un-named543]

There goes 4-H and all the fun and educational experiences kids have with it. Oh well. I'm sure the politicians will be on a volunteer to come to your farm and help list.
We better ban babysitting for any children under 16 too, even if it is to watch the siblings while mom and dad are strapped down with all the extra farm work now.

 

[Moabite]

Some people think that work is bad for kids. Farming is a life style that gives kids a good taste of the virtues of hard work. The farm kids I grew up with had skill sets that would put politicians to shame. People who work hard physically have very little time for the long list of mental disorders that plague those who work from an office chair. Talk about class warfare. This is an attack from the so called elite on the working class. I for one will not stand for my children to spend all day inside watching TV or playing video games.

 

[FarmCoe]

I've heard of this law... It's ridiculous. However, I doubt any one will show up to our farm and force me to get off the tractor

 

[AllenWMiller]

"It is a very grave consideration that there are eleven millions of families in America whose sons are growing up to find the avenues of trade and manufacturing more and more crowded every day. If some of these should turn their attention to the business of poultry breeding and culture, they might find the occupation both pleasing and profitable. But is should be remembered that this business needs to be carefully learned...We have little reason to change our opinion on the profitable nature of the poultry market which at current exceeds one billions dollars revenue for the United States each year...Much more could be quoted to show the magnitude and the need of the development of this industry as a source of wealth to the nation, but above all this farmers of America, remember that poultry-keeping has more money value to you. Interest your boys in it, that they may learn and have sustained work...Let not our government intercede where farm work is concerned but rather keep America in the hands of the farmers of this land."

I. K. Felch, Speaking on Poultry Culture at The National Grange of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry 1873.

You see history tends to repeat itself and government tends to get too deeply into farmers business when the government would better serve dealing with issues that adversely affect the whole; rather than those issues that only serve the few.