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Farm & Ranch Happenings

published: June 11th 2010
by: Harvey Buehring

“Teenage Employment On Farms and Ranches May Be In Jeopardy” 
    A Congresswomen from California recently introduced a bill  that would outlaw the employment of youth under the age of 18 on farms and ranches.  Her bill is titled “The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment” and is being referred to as the CARE Act (H.R. 3564).  If passed, it would eliminate the Fair Labor Standards Act also known as (FLSA) which currently governs the employment of youth and provides exemptions that allow individuals from 12 to 17 years of age to be employed on farms as long as work conditions are safe and parents grant their consent for employment of their minor child.
    Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard  is concerned that migrant farm workers are putting their children to work in the fields to help make money for the family when some of the kids don’t want to be there.  Apparently, her fix to the problem is to outlaw the hiring by farmers of all teenagers under 18 years of age.  Her proposed bill was reviewed by the American Farm Bureau Federations legislative staff.  Apparently this bill has no exemption exceptions for youth who desire employment on farms and ranches. The current FLSA law provides protections to child labor and it is the position of the American Farm Bureau that the laws currently on the books should be enforced.  It’s absurd to create a new act that would deny employment opportunities to youth who desire to work on farms and ranches.    
    This proposed legislation is another prime example of the loss of common sense and the desire to limit individual freedom that appears to be so prevalent in Washington, D.C. these days.  Since when is helping the family make ends meet a bad thing?  Since when is learning to be a productive member of society a bad thing ?  Since when is toiling   in the sun all day doing hand labor not an inspiration for individuals who aspire to become a skilled professional to stay in school and earn a degree?   During the 20th Century dragging a 10 foot cotton sack for months at a time served as the motivation  for thousands of youth to go to college and earn a degree that would open doors to better paying jobs with benefits, a retirement plan, and a better way of life for their families.
    Why put forth new national legislation because some teenagers in California don’t want to help their families by working in the fields?   Working with your family for the good of the family has been a core value throughout history.  Millions of families that immigrated to this country got their start in agriculture as harvest laborers and share-croppers.    Every member of the family doing his fair share and putting forth his best effort each day allowed millions of these families to reach their goals of land ownership and owning their own homes and businesses.
     Thousands of rural Texas youth rely on farm and ranch summer jobs to earn college tuition money.   Should they be denied the opportunity to earn wages in an outdoors line of work that can help to develop a sound work ethic? Should they be denied the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge and appreciation for what is involved in bringing food and natural fiber products to the American consumer?     
    When I was growing up in a rural community in South Texas, I looked forward to helping my grandfather and uncle on their farms during the summer months.  The tradition
of going to help at my grandparents farm began when I was about eight or nine years old. At that age, I was likely to have been in the way much more that I was able to help.   But these opportunities taught me so many skills and built confidence in my ability to complete assigned tasks.  They taught me to analyze situations and determine the best course of action.  The lessons learned were to work smarter whenever possible and never be afraid to work harder, if you have to get the job done properly.  
    During my years as an agricultural services professional I hired many new personnel.  It became apparent that the job applicants who had work experiences on farms and ranches during their youth became our best employees.    Many times they did not have the highest grade point averages but they knew how to work effectively and solve tasks at hand with minimal supervision.  They also had a true appreciation for the folks who make a living by growing the crops and raising the livestock that each of us rely on for our daily nourishment. 
    Many of the traits of these outstanding new employees were directly related to their background and work experience on a farm or ranch.    Those new employees who sacked groceries, washed dishes polished cars at a local detailing shop had reasonably good work ethics but typically lacked an appreciation for agriculture and a true understanding of its complexity.
    Our country would be better served by legislation that would make it easier for youth to work in agricultural related jobs than trying to eliminate the hiring of youth for seasonal farm and ranch work.  Our country desperately needs more youth who are not afraid to work and understand that the key to success and prosperity boils down to hard work,  ingenuity and a realization that no one owes you anything; you have to earn it!  
SLS