[AT] Department of Labor and Teens on Farms/Ranches

[Ben Wagner]

Could you send us all the link to the Solis letter that for some reason
disappeared from the Alert?

Thanks,
Ben Wagner

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 1:33 PM, Dave Rotigel <rotigel at me.com> wrote:

> AFA of PA ACTION ALERT
>
> January 10, 2012
>
> Issue
>
> Department of Labor and Teens on Farms/Ranches
>
> Details
>
> The Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed significant changes to the Fair
> Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that will severely impact the type of work young
> people are allowed to do on farms and ranches. The changes will greatly
> hinder a farmer or rancher in his desire to hire a young person.  While the
> FLSA already prevents young workers from doing some tasks, there has
> previously been sufficient flexibility within those rules to allow young
> people to work in agriculture.  The DOL proposal would prohibit children
> under the age of sixteen from assisting in a range of common agricultural
> practices, including the vaccination of livestock or the use of any power
> driven machines to do agriculture work, including tractors, pressure hoses,
> and battery operated tools.  In addition, no one under the age of eighteen
> would be allowed to work in stockyards, grain elevators, feedlots,
> livestock exchanges, and auctions.  Finally, there are also concerns that
> the proposal could severely limit young people from working on family
> farms.  Small farms and ranches which rely upon younger family members to
> help run the farm/ranch would be forced to hire help.  How will these
> proposals, if passed, impact the cost of food?  The unemployment rate of
> young people?  Kids in FFA or the 4H?
>
> Action Steps
>
> A Congressional letter was sent to Department of Labor Secretary Hilda
> Solis on December 16th.  It opposes the proposed changes in the labor law.
>  Click here to read the letter.
>
> As you can see over 100 Congressmen signed the letter.  Those included PA
> Congressmen Lou Barletta, Mark Critz, Tim Holden, Mike Kelly, Todd Russell
> Platts, Bill Shuster, and Glenn Thompson.    If your Congressman’s name is
> on this list, please take time to send him a quick thanks for standing up
> for the rights of farmers and ranchers to hire youth and ultimately
> standing up for all Americans who are struggling right now to put food on
> their table.  Click here for contact information.
>
> FYI:  The US House will be back in session on January 17th, but you can
> contact your  Congressman’s district office nearest you for best results.
>
> In His Service,
>
>   Diane
>
> Diane Gramley
>
>
> Please consider making a donation to the AFA of PA to help us carry on the
> fight for decency, life, family and marriage.
>
>
>
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