SHELBYVILLE, IL. —
State Representative Adam Brown (R-Decatur) traveled throughout his district, including Shelbyville, on Thursday to present his measure against the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed regulations for youth in agricultural employment.
“I’m pushing back against U.S. Department of Labor regulations they are starting to bring forward at this time,” Rep. Brown said. “After 30 years they are starting to revise fair labor codes as they apply to agriculture. Unfortunately those have some some stipulations that would hurt small business and family farms in our area.”
The U.S. Department of Labor recently concluded the public comment period for the proposed regulations that would define restricted farm activities for workers under the age of 16. The American Farm Bureau filed comments on behalf of more than 70 agricultural organizations in response to the proposed regulations that would limit youth employment opportunities on farms.
“This is an initiative of American Farm Bureau and it was brought to my attention about a month ago when I received an Action Alert bulletin from the Farm Bureau. I immediately wrote up a bill. I don’t think the general public understands what is going on with a lot of proposed regulations coming out of the federal level,” Rep. Brown said.
In the proposed regulations, youth under 16 years of age would not be able to work on a farm not owned by parents and would restrict operations of certain equipment by those under the age of 16.
“That means those under 14 cannot operate a tractor or those under 16 cannot operate a mower,” Rep. Brown said. He added that youth could not work on their grandparent’s farms or farms owned by other family members.
Bill Brown accompanied his son Adam in his meetings in the district. Bill Brown operates a family farm in Macon County where Adam and his friends worked their summers.
“My sons and their friends grew up working on our family farm,” he said. “Why should teenagers be prohibited from activites like baling hay, detasseling corn and walking beans? These are character-building jobs that allow teens to earn money and develop their work ethic and a greater appreciation of agriculture.”
Rep. Brown added that such a regulation will also have an effect on those youth involved in FFA and 4-H, including those working with livestock.
“It’s a kick in the teeth to youth in agriculture,” Rep.Brown said. “It’s definitely one of the most appalling things I’ve seen coming from the Washington bureaucrats.
Brown is sponsoring House Resolution 680 which urges the U.S. Department of Labor to carefully consider all of the comments submitted on their proposed regulations for youth in agricultural employment before finalizing any rule changes and to revise the proposed regulations before they are finalized so as to not create a barrier to young people learning about the agriculture industry and entering agricultural careers.
“As a family farmer, I believe the proposed regualtions will hurt Illinois farmers and our agricultural economy,” Rep. Brown said. “I am very concerned that the Department’s proposal will limit youth employment opportunities on farms. We should be encouraging more young people to go into farming, not prohibiting them from gaining valuable experience in agriculture, our state’s number one industry.”
According to the American Farm Bureau, families, family partnerships and family corporations own 98 percent of the approximately 2 million farms and ranches in the country.
Brown filed his House Resolution on December 14.
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