Lora Berg 1, Editor

December 8, 2011

1 Min Read
Child Labor Rules May Say “No Kids Allowed” Near Manure Pits

 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed on-farm child labor regulations have been getting a lot of attention in agricultural circles lately. Under the proposed rules, youth under the age of 16 would be prohibited from performing work, which the Labor Secretary defines as “hazardous,” on farms that are not owned by the child’s parents.  Young people would be prohibited from working near or in manure storage areas under the proposed regulations.

Wording in the proposal indicates youth would be allowed to work on “family farms” owned and operated by their parents, although a clear definition of a family farm was not provided.

Prior to the close of the comment period on Dec. 1, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the American Sheep Industry Association and the National Turkey Federation jointly submitted comments opposing the proposed regulations.

Learn more about the proposed regulations at http://www.dol.gov/whd/CL/AG_NPRM.htm, or read more about the implications for livestock producers at http://nationalhogfarmer.com/human-resources/nppc-contests-proposed-labor-rules-1205/

About the Author(s)

Lora Berg 1

Editor, National Hog Farmer

Lora is the editor of National Hog Farmer. She joined the National Hog Farmer editorial team in 1993, served as associate editor, managing editor, contributing editor, and digital editor before being named to the editor position in 2013. She has written and produced electronic newsletters for Farm Industry News, Hay & Forage Grower and BEEF magazines. She was also the founding editor of the Nutrient Management e-newsletter.

Lora grew up on a purebred Berkshire operation in southeastern South Dakota and promoted pork both as the state’s Pork Industry Queen and as an intern with the South Dakota Pork Producers Council. Lora earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from South Dakota State University in agricultural journalism and mass communications. She has served as communications specialist for the National Live Stock and Meat Board and as director of communications for the University of Minnesota College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences. During her career, Lora earned the Story of the Year award from the American Agricultural Editors’ Association and bronze award at the national level in the American Society of Business Publication Editors’ competition. She is passionate about providing information to support National Hog Farmer's pork producer readers through 29 electronic newsletter issues per month, the monthly magazine and nationalhogfarmer.com website.

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