12/27/11

Nanny Bammy's Labor Dept. to regulate farm kids

Dawn Buell had twice as many applicants as corn detasseling jobs this past summer. The young workers love the money, she said, and they're not scared off by the hot Nebraska sun.  But Buell and other agricultural representatives are hot under the collar over proposed U.S. Labor Department rules they say could end the longtime tradition of young teens detasseling corn — and, on a broader scale, could restrict the type of work kids have done for years on the farm. 
While the proposed changes are intended to protect kids from potential dangers related to machinery and livestock, Buell and farm groups, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau, think they go too far. They fear youngsters would be stripped of an opportunity to build a work ethic and an enthusiasm for farming as a potential career. More here
[Thanks: BJS]