Detasseling.
Such a simple word, but it brings back memories of early morning bus rides, clothes soaked from heavy dew on the stalks, sweltering heat, and a hefty paycheck.
I learned a lot of life lessons during those few weeks in the field: responsibility, hard work, pride in a job well done, and the value of money. I appreciated the tangibles I had been given. I started weighing the pros and cons of every purchase, discovering the importance of budgeting and money management.
My daughters learned those same lessons when they spent summers walking through rows of corn, a baby step toward independence.
But it’s possible that a simple summer job – and even farm work – may not be options for teenagers, thanks to updated child labor regulations coming from the federal Department of Labor.
Based on proposed rules, persons under 18 would be prohibited from carrying out basic farm jobs, unless the worker is a family member; however, the exemption for family members wouldn’t apply if the farm is incorporated or a partnership.
Those age 16 and under would face a laundry list of restrictions, including not operating power-driven machinery unless a parent or guardian supervises, bans handling non-castrated livestock older than six months, a cow with a newborn calf or sows with suckling pigs, and forbids involvement in any work where an animal may act unpredictably.
Young workers would not be allowed in a grain silo or storage bin, they couldn’t work with pesticides, and they cannot perform any work at a height above six feet, including working on a ladder.
Oh, and these young workers would not be allowed to talk on a cell phone or text while operating a tractor. Isn’t this particular ban common sense?
Detasseling isn’t expressly listed in the proposed regulations, but prohibiting workers under 16 from toiling in extreme temperatures or grueling conditions is part of the suggested directives. Sounds like detasseling fits the bill.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health presented the recommendations to the Labor Department, saying child labor laws in the agriculture sector have not been addressed since 1970.
It’s an issue of safety, according to the group. Statistical data reports that in the U.S., one child is killed in an agricultural work setting every three days. Daily, 41 young workers endure serious farm injuries.
While I believe most of us would agree that safety of all workers should be a concern, there’s something disconcerting about the proposed laws. Primarily, how will the proposed regulations affect the family farm, the bread-and-butter of our agrarian-based society?
What happens to the multi-generational family farm when children aren’t interested in farming because they never had the opportunity to work on the farm?
How will the Department of Labor enforce the rules? Spy on every farm operation across the U.S.?
Will we raise a generation that does not know the true meaning of work because they never had to help with chores?
Smells like a steamy pile of manure to me.
A bunch of hogwash.
