Obama's farm labor rules are bad for Iowa

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February 9, 2012

Obama's farm labor rules are bad for Iowa

Sen. Paul McKinley McKinley Press The Zope Gazette Thu Feb 09, 2012, 03:42 PM CST

Des Moines —

This week Governor Branstad, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Senate Republicans commended the United States Department of Labor after learning that the department has begun to reconsider onerous regulations about youth working on farms.

In November of 2011, Branstad and Northey sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis voicing their concern. In the letter, Branstad and Northey asked the department to give Iowa farmers a fair opportunity to comment and called the rule “a prime example of Federal overreach.”

Senate Republicans are pleased to learn that Secretary Solis and the Department of Labor are reconsidering their burdensome regulations on Iowa farm families. Agriculture and family farm life is part of the life blood of Iowa and so many of Iowa’s kids learn the value of a strong work ethic by working side by side with their parents on the family farm.

We believe that Iowa farm families are better at ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their children than bureaucrats in Washington.

It is important we continue to provide opportunities for young people to learn about agriculture and gain experience by working on farms in a responsible manner.

This announcement by the Department of Labor shows that they are responding to the comments they received and hearing the concerns of the farming community.

As your Senator, I will continue to monitor this situation because of the immense importance this has to the fabric of Iowa living and our part of the country.

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