NCBA President Addresses On-farm Child Labor

Last week, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Bill Donald told those attending the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show – your voice – our voices – were heard by the Department of Labor. That was after DOL announced it intends to reconsider a portion of its proposed rule related to on-farm child labor. Donald commended American farmers and ranchers for making their voices heard on the proposed rule, which could have restricted, and in some instances totally prevented, America’s youth from working on farms and ranches.

Donald said – this issue goes to the very fiber of who we are in this country. It goes right to the fact that businesses are looking to fill positions with farm and ranch kids because they have a work ethic. They do their chores before they get on the school bus and do them again when they get home. So thanks to all of you, the Department of Labor listened finally.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says – what would be best for everybody involved is to scrap the whole thing and allow farm families to operate in a manner consistent with the rural living that allows children to learn and grow as part of a rural community.