M E M O R A N D U M
TO:      Reporters and Editors
RE:      Dept. of Labor withdrawing proposed child labor rules
DA:     Friday, April 27, 2012

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today issued the following statement on the announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor that they are withdrawing proposed rules that would impact children working on farms.  Northey issued comments to the Dept. of Labor with Iowa Governor Terry Branstad expressing concerns about the proposed rules last fall.

Northey’s statement follows here:

“I am pleased the U.S. Department of Labor responded to the public outcry and withdrew these proposed rules in their entirety.  We need to encourage young people to be involved with agriculture and learn from responsible adults about how to operate machinery and care for animals, these proposed rules would have done just the opposite.  I appreciate the involvement of Governor Branstand and Iowa’s congressional delegation to oppose these rules and hope this will discourage further overreach by the Department of Labor and other federal agencies.”

 

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