Counted for over 50 percent of all did child fatalities the arned my masters degree. However the majority of farmers do not even graduate high school they drop out four times the national average. I am not alone for these are the same harrowing experiences i heard my parents and grandparents and also heard from other farmers throughout my career. Its experience approximate 3000 farm working children today each of them a life, person, part of our community. But would be even more heartbreaking as congress chooses to do nothing will be the same experience youre going to hear from children 20 years from now. Data clearly shows agriculture to the u. S. Child labor laws to the detriment of child farm workers which the majority are u. S. Citizens. The care act sponsored by representative cosponsored by many members of this committee will give children working agriculture the same workplace protection that every other working child is provided. The protect 12 yearolds from exploitation and recent basic minimum what wage of agricultural work to 14. It is sure 1415yearold children do the work that will not require with their education, health, life at risk. Thank you. Thank you very much. Brexit our Committee Rule 9a a question witnesses under the five minute rule. SubCommittee Members in seniority order. Again to ensure five minute rule staff will be keeping track of time. Please wrap up when your time is over. And re mute your microphone. I recognized myself for five minutes. Doctor lee what a short knowledge of legal consequences for having adults which is working inside grain bins for hauling hay wagons behind an old tractor on a public road . Its a good question. Our team is currently conducting research on this topic. We have searched for legal cases over the last five years. Interestingly enough there is only been 12 completed cases in which some charges were filed. And of these, only one was a hired teenager for her. What we are finding is Public Officials such as Child Protective Services say this is just farming. Were going to leave them alone. To me it is a double standard. Guess on farms get fewer legal oversight protection than their city friends. But when most commonly see as Young Children or children put in a situation where theyre expected to conduct work on these are some of the bad apples out there that are misusing their kids and having them work in inappropriate situations. We doubt believe charges like jail time or penalties like that are needed. But we would really like to see happen more often is that parents or supervisors are held accountable. They are expected to improve safety conditions on the permit minute to take Parenting Classes or safety classes. But, what we want to see his behaviors and practices change that are right now putting some of these kids into very dangerous situations. Thank you. So how can we ensure smaller family farms will be exempt from regulatory changes or standards was still receive the proper training and education to protect Young Workers . That is hard. We really cannot ensure any type of voluntary training. There are many challenges to implementing a National Program unless theres some kind of incentive or penalties for not doing it. We know usda has funded several initiatives to put on National Programs. But they are not always available partly because of funding or personnel. Art center here has been fortunate we received federal funding to develop worker guidelines, voluntary work guidelines. They are available online. They are available on mobile apps. They help parents or adults match the work with the skills and the abilities of their children. But not everyone has access to these for they do not all know about them. We really need to have behavior changes behind educating the youth brickwork thank you maam. Can you expand on how the current agriculture for child labor in the fair labor standards act disproportionately impacts children of color . Absolutely. The majority of children that are working have zero two no control over their work conditions, their parents are children that look like and be part of hearing about the experiences that were detrimental that were dangerous, they were terrible to my wellbeing and our futures children who look like me. The fair labor standards act was set it was children that were black theyre being exploited out in the fields and made for work for very, very low wages. Today is very much the same conditions the difference is we are exploiting the latinos, the migrant communities that are coming into the u. S. That are desperately poor do not have any recourse for they do not understand the language they are and do not have any real way of being able to reach out and ask for help. Those are the same conditions i saw for myself and people who look just like me. I would work alongside it times next to kids that were from the community that were white that spoke english. The treatment was night and day. The fact is the law permits for them to treat me terribly while allowing children that are white of the commute sit next to mom and dad and church to be treated very differently than people like me. We need to make sure we are protecting all children. Not just being okay with the fact its those kids of the community theyre being protected by the migrant ones are being left to be exploited. Thank you very much afraid thank you both your testimony. Im going to yield back now going to recognize Ranking Member for the purpose of questioning. Ms. Boswell, in july 46 House Democrats sent a letter to secretary of labor walsh asking him to revise a 2011 rule issued by the Obama Labor Department that restricted employment on family farms. In 2012 dol it a reverse roll after farmers across the country democrat and republican members of congress and other government officials raise substantial concerns. What were some of the concerns with 2011 proposed rule . Thank you for the question. The proposal under the Obama Administration was completely misguided made broad sweeping changes that completely blindsided the agriculture industry. I was at american farnborough federation at the time. There was no discussion before that proposal came out with the egg industry engaging anyone there would have firsthand experience with farming practices. While singapore checked the family farm exemption it is completely false. The proposed language it limited the structure so that if i worked on my dads farm in the farm was an llc i could no longer work. The legal structure in todays farming makes any difference of my dads a care about my health and safety. Also, i mentioned my nephew in my testimony. He lives a 5 miles to my dads farm. He has worked with my dad and again hopes to be a farmer. Under that proposal because he did not live with my dad for 30 days at least, he would not be covered under the redemption. For the learner redemption limits and restricted which of the hazardous occupation the student trent student learner applied to. Basically only then providing that learning ability to drive a tractor and there is an exemption for elevations above. But handling animals, an example of this would have restricted many ffa students by animal, by cattle. They take care of that herd including their health and vaccination schedule. They would not have been able to do that in that learning program. It expanded the hazardous occupation. You could not drive a tractor of any size but you could not operate operate Power Equipment including lawnmowers, fixing a fence near livestock, corralling livestock being in any animal pen with an animal that unpredictable behavior. Frankly this proposal would be simply revise without having an informed discussion with the farmers and ranchers who want to be at the table. It will be met with opposition. Its met with skepticism the promises of keeping the family farm intact would hold true. And again there is room for conversation. Just providing that proposal would have dramatic impact on agriculture as we know it. Is probably negatively impact the 4h students that rave trent raised livestock at the county fairs all across the commonwealth. I see how the kids really enjoy it raising those they have to clean the pens, and they have to be able to care for the animals. I think that probably impact that also, wouldnt it . It would produce not just showing up at the county or state fair. There is work that goes into that all through the summer and the spring. I showed pigs at the fair. I was in charge of feeding them for it i was in charge of cleaning out their pens but i was in charge of taking care of them. That was part of the work that was being performed. Its not done with proper information, it would certainly limit those opportunities for 4h and ffa students to interact with livestock as they are preparing for the fair. Thank you. Ms. Boswell, another thing we are discussing the health and safety of Young People Working in agriculture. As the hearing we cannot ignore the elephant in the room. President bidens border crisis is a manmade disaster illegal aliens and drugs are flowing the country at record levels with no end in sight. This also endanger the health and safety of young people under 18 years old were trying to cross the southern border. But entity border crisis, stopping illegal immigration on building the wall help alleviate danger proposed to the health and safety of young people who have been encouraged across the border by the Biden Administration border policies . I a jury addressing Border Security will help alleviate the dangers there being afflicted on vulnerable young people that are crossing the border. Thank you yield back. Thank you pretty want to recognize the gentleman from new jersey you are recognized for five minutes per. Thank you med and chairwoman. Appreciate you holding the hearing. Yes new jersey, the garden state. I spent my summers on a farm it was with my relatives in tennessee. And you are absolutely right. It is amazing what you learn is young person. And i certainly appreciate that. We just came off labor day. We have been celebrating this for over 100 years. Mcguire of the founder of labor day it was to create a weekend. Back then it was one day off. We know we know its two days off. But the other thing was the exploitation of child labor im trying to put the brakes on that. Because as we know during the Industrial Revolution children were exploited, there is no question about that. But i do it to commend the Ranking Member keller for talking about the birth of the Agricultural Industry. Yes, yes, and yes. Absolutely encourage more people to get involved. One thing we do know i grew up in a slightly different area that was the construction industry. Very hazardous, very dangerous one thing more hazardous than construction is agriculture. We know that. The figures speak for themselves. It is incredibly dangerous the tractor flips with piece of equipment we could stop and the rest as they say is history. One of the things i fascinating some of the opening remarks recently in the last decade Health Protection of the 6foot ladder. I, unfortunately as a young electrician and eager apprentice who fell off a ladder from just 7 feet. The idea that it is okay to put 20 feet without fall protection agriculture seems counterintuitive to everything we know. When you fall, gravity doesnt know if youre on the farm or on a construction site. Its okay to say peoples lives in construction why do we have a different standard for agriculture . These are common things like maybe we should come together on. He explained to me why there are two standards and white gravity on a farm is different from a construction site . If we can say people on a construction site i do have 20 feet in agriculture customer could you answer that for me please . I think there is always been a farming exemption and osha standards have not always applied on farms. You have to have ten or more employees for the osha standards to apply. But kids are kids, bodies our bodies but as you said there is no difference. Sometimes its even worse fall into a concrete platform. So i really believe the hazardous occupation need to be clear they need to keep in mind what is appropriate for Young Children especially. Thank you. Lets bring in farmers and have a discussion on this. These are things that have been argued for years. Weve made the changes and we have saved lives. When not trying to beat up on the farmers for they are the backbone of who we are in this country. But the idea to say that children can take more risks because youre on a farm just does not play in the common sense area. Your parents being there for you, yes we get that they can help you. But the idea that we as a society have put rules and regulations in place for children being abused. To help parents make better decisions at time. Just because youre on a farm doesnt mean you cant make a bad decision. We need to come together on this. Its not good versus evil its common sense trying to save kids lives. The idea you might have maybe 14 or 15 i think is open for discussion. But having general climbing a 2f extreme. But the one thing i see is the highest fatality for children under 16 happened on farms. That is a fact. It is not an opinion. Those are kids we really need to say. Again i appreciate both sides. We come together on this . I think its a great idea. So lets bring them together chairwoman thank you for holding this. This is incredibly important considering we are in the year 2022 and start arguing this. I yield back. Thank you sir. I want to recognize the Ranking Member of the committee on ed and labor. You are recognized for five minutes. Thank you madam chair. I appreciate it. I like to thank our witnesses for being here today. Its i want to thank the Ranking Member of the subcommittee quoting the piece from paul harvey brett read that many, many years ago its a good reminder of all the many things farmers do. Mr. Boswell, thank you so much for sharing your experience of working on a farm. I grew up also on a farm everything we ate, we grew or killed. So thank goodness i learned how to farm at an early age. Your average age of an American Farmers 57. 5yearold. Fewer than 10 agriculture producers are under 35 years old. We have concerns about policies to discourage Youth Participation in agriculture such as hr 7345. Thank you for the question doctor fox. Absolutely. Right now considering the rural population, considering we just came off a pandemic we saw a shortage and disruptions in the labor supply. Now is more than ever the timely to be encouraging agriculture and young people to go back into agriculture. We need to be developing those policies to get that exposure early, develop Educational Programs that youth need to be successful. It isnt glamorous and it is hard work. It really takes cultivating that passion at a young age. I get emotional at the paul harvey poem. I see my parents in that. I see my neighbors in them. I see that because i worked with them sidebyside. I saw them cry when a hailstorm came through. This all the joy of a successful harvest. And everything in between. That comes from a passion and agriculture. It is not something you can pick up at the age of 18 and all the sudden want to move from the city out to Rural America and start growing fruits and veggies. Yes, we are very, very fortunate we have people who feel that passion. As a smalltime farmer myself, i tell you what we have really enjoyed our garden this year. And have really been blessed with that and grateful. I understand what you say. At the same for 4h its an invaluable Education Program that encouraged and develop Young Leaders for careers in agriculture. In mr. Keller mentioned this before. With hr 7345 have a negative impact on participation in ffa and 4h programs will undermine the effective use of these vital programs. That would restricting the ability of student learners for work until the age of 14 would aptly impact the participation. Ffa Program Start and middle school and prioritizing middle School Programs and foster that interest in education at an earlier age. Was rural and urban america. 4h start even younger than that. Many of those projects include Work Experience. Now, Everyone Needs to be doing that Work Experience safely. We could make sure they understand the risk in their being supervised during. But im very skeptical that this legislation and regulatory changes that would follow, would not try limit the exemption as we have seen in the past. I now want to give a shout out to my colic i have enjoyed very much working with her over the years and going to be sorry to see her retire. But ms. Boswell, we all agree the health and safety of Young People Working in agriculture should be protected. In your experience to agriculture employers take the safety of their workers seriously . Including the workers under 18 years of age . And what are these employers doing to keep their under 18 workers safe . In my experience farmers, ranchers and egg employers across the country. And i have been fortunate to travel across the country with america or vero and usda. Speaking with farmers and egg employers firsthand. They want to be able to have the tools to do it right. To be able to follow the law, to understand the lot be able to treat their workers with a safe working environment with the tools they need to prevent injury. The key is being proactive here. I have represented agriculture employers and farmers with doctor lee on the board of esha. I also participated in the safety and agricultural youth the project was funded by usda. In those materials and guidelines that were put together by experts and by those directly working on the ground and representing farmers interests are to farmers and ranchers across america to help them apply those. Again, the key is to be proactive here. Setting an arbitrary age limit does not give those resources only described as participation overall. Madam chair i yield back precooked thank you and thank you doctor fox. I want to recognize represented steven have five minutes. Xmen interior can you hear me . Yes i can. Great, thank you for this important hearing. Its a profound honor to be with you, distinguish colleagues in the distinguished panel. I will tell you in michigan, we had more people die than work last year were continuing to toil from the effects of the covenant teen pandemic in the opioid pandemic the overall labor shortage. And at the same time, we are hearing from our farmers in michigan about the absolute need to increase the workers through these programs. Ive had this conversation with got better it made ships located in detroit. Ive had this conversation with their farms. We are at a breaking point. So we look to meet the needed Agricultural Industry i like to take those comments made in this hearing that we have an obligation to protect our children. Where they play, learn, work. We know that without basic child worker protection, child farmworkers are particularly vulnerable to abuse and endangerment. Its totally unacceptable. I am so glad we are convening today. I understand in the absence of strong federal labor protections, child farmworkers and territories across the country of taken the initiative to implement their own standards and protections. As a subcommittee chair for research and technology and scientists and other committee where we oversee the standards certainly see how labor standards play out on this committee, can you expand on examples froms dates or localities expanded child workers can be a model for federal protection . Thank you and i would refer the Committee Members to an october 2021 report by government and Child Labor Coalition which actually looked in the statebystate across the country comparing a protection. They did find some good examples of positive practices per they found 14 as well as puerto rico have been factories the minimum age for agro cultural a 14 pin they also found 15 states and puerto rico have limited the number of deeds children can work in agriculture to six days a week as a post he federal standards. The state of florida very important agricultural state has enacted both of those protections. At the same as the care act would impose. On the work of farm workers under 16 to six days a week. They are ready to do this. With that said, it is statebystate solution are piecemeal. He heard my colleague talk about traveling state to stay with her family for each state has different protections. That is why we strongly support with the care act offers which is nationwide protection for all children. And ms. Floors lopez, you hear family experience, and the Economic Situation that people are influencing families and their children of work, what contributes to that . How do unscrupulous employers exploit the economic reality when they employ child farmworkers . My parents and my grandparents all u. S. Citizens, myself as well. We were all working out in agriculture is the desperate poverty that drove us out there. The generational cycle of poverty we were stuck in. We had no access to educational training to be able to have a protective training to be able to access the programs like 4h and ffa. Those were not a reality for any of us. We were out there and it was because we need to put food on our table. That desperate poverty is what lot those unscrupulous employers that are widespread across agriculture which has very little oversight for special when youre out there working in Rural Communities we are out of sight, out of mind but people to understand whats really happening out there. So it ends up happening is you have a population sometimes does not speak the language. The majority are undocumented. They are in Rural Communities where they dont have a lot of resources. These are different situations that create very dangerous vulnerabilities for farmworkers. Especially children that again its a desperate poverty and the lack of fair pay that really contributes and makes exploitation rights in agriculture. Thank you so much and madam chairman i yield back. Thank you, thank you for your statement pretty want to recognize representative miller meeks now. Thank you much madam chair but i think the Ranking Member as well. Thank you to the witnesses for appearing today. Although i am a doctor and Lieutenant Colonel retired Lieutenant Colonel from the army, and a congress or my first job was actually at 13 picking cucumbers in Southeast Texas britt also lived agricultural states. My district is a heavy agricultural district. I participated in over 20 county fairs and the state fair. And i know young people have even at a young age showing their rabbits, their chickens, their calves they have bottlefed. Even their llamas to name just a few of the animals and livestock them shown. Also see them develop tremendous amount of pride in their work. It increased the work ethic the ability to problem solve, to adapt, to interim provides for the tremendous confidence they have in raising an animal, showing an animal, talking about their animal in developing public speaking skills. Its interesting were having this hearing and since the time is sworn into congress in january 3020, 2020 have asked this question numerous times with education and labor and the select subcommittee on the coronavirus subcommittee task force, not once have we had a hearing on the repercussions of closing schools and masking children would not want to we talked about the Health ReproductionMental Health consequences on our children the rate of suicide. I brought up numerous times actually put forward an amendment in the committee in order to 2 billion go to Mental Health and kasich oven tubing go to Mental Health and undergraduate colleges. Not one democrat voted for that amendment. So here we are talking about family farms, the majority of which are family farms in which children may work, try to cultivate people into the family farming business. Instead were chocolate, overregulation by the federal government and the concern that we have on corporate farms and how this would enhance that. Not once have we talked about the rate of Youth Suicide from the covid 19 pandemic and shutting down schools at the behest of the teachers union. Not want to we talked about the law which we find this in the New York Times acknowledged just recently and another article was in the wall street journal. I find it interesting that we are talking about a section of the economy or children or young people use may work on their family farm at a young age, develop tremendous and perhaps would rather have children stay indoors in our youth stay indoors and watch television or play video games knowing that does not put them at risk for obesity it doesnt put them at risk for isolation. It doesnt put them at risk of any other health positions but yet were going to talk about this one. I find that to be unconscionable that we will not address all the negative repercussions on children to include loss of learning, Mental Health, suicide, addiction, and overdose as my colleague said mention on her southern border open with the amount of drugs and fentanyl coming across our borders with a Record Number of overdoses and drug addiction. So ill just ask a simple question ms. Basel at 90 of all farms in the u. S. Are family farms. Most of which are Small Businesses. What would changing department of Labor Regulation the way the obama district proposed in 2011 that we are doing now have an small family farms customer in your experience to these businesses have inhouse counseling compliant staff that they could address the administrative and regulatory burdens . Thank you for the question. As i have said before and in my testimony, and we had not that Obama Wouldve had dramatic impact on the family farm. Despite asportations to the contrary. Again 98 are familyowned. Most farms do not have headquarters. They have their homes. They do business at the kitchen table. Its from the front door out to the barn to their machine shed to start the day. That was my experience that is the experience of most of my classmates and friends. They are savvy. No question about it to operate a farm you have to be savvy. However, they dont typically have hr teams where they do not have inhouse counsel bird they do not have a team with them thats going to measure the recordkeeping that increased. We see consolidation. My nephew is going to try but its going to be hard to find the land. Mentoring in the training. This is a detrimental practice and we need to focus on the open border. I will yield back my time. Representative you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you for holding this hearing and to all of the witnesses for being here today. The agriculture industry only employs 6 of all child workers yet the industry accounts for over half of all child workplace injuries. Child farmworkers are exempt from the protections awarded to others. Protections such as age requirement for hazardous work, allowable hours worked into basic training requirements. My republican colleagues will argue any attempt to regulate the standards would amount to unnecessary federal bureaucracy that leads to the affair and deprives the communities of valuable Vocational Training and work. When we protect the child workers from injury and death and implement standards to ensure their safety and wellbeing we protect the next generation of farmers. With reasonable exemptions for their own families, farms or participation in educational and vocational programs we can take steps to protect Young Children from the dangers of farm work without taking away their opportunities to learn and support their own families. For the child farmworkers many of whom are people of color and migrant or Seasonal Workers who are not working for their own families and who may be victims of exploited labor practices performing the labor law is essential. Working in agriculture than any other industry and when an average of 33 are injured each day, something needs to change. In the written testimony, she claims a dedication to forming can only be fostered by being engaged at a young age. While there is the need to support those that want to pursue careers in agriculture, i question whether the best way to do that is to maintain labor standards and practices that we know to be actively harmful to the future of the workforce. In your testimony you stated that even today 20 years after you last worked in the field. Thank you for the question. Both of my parents are cancer survivors and so is my aunt and many family members. Those are the lucky ones that survived. I also know there is just as many people that didnt survive and i grew up alongside of the fields. For the chemicals used on farms every year. They try not to point to especially given the signs that link the longterm exposure to those chemicals into those longterm Health Conditions that my family and my community has endured we talked about supposedly these Educational Programs they didnt receive more than a 15 minute talk since i was older about the harmful effects of pesticide years after being exposed. Before that i was told meaning medicine for the plant. That is the kind of lack of oversight and the kind of danger that farmworker children are put in especially given that children are not little adults. What we are asking for is equal treatment. The same way we dont allow for others to exploit Young Children or have them work in dangerous conditions to keep the way of life going. We are asking that they be treated just like every other child in america and protected. Let me just say quickly i feel for your pain and what you described is conscionable. You and your family will remain in my prayers and i hope that your powerful testimony today will spur the congress to act in a way that it hasnt up until this time. Thank you and i yield back madam chair. Thank you, thank you mr. Jones. Lets recognize now mr. Owens. Ive been honored to have a grandfather to raise 13 children successful and learned work ethic. The professor in this arena into the last 35 years. I was raised around the farm. A couple of things that concern me. First this one statement made earlier it ascends chills through my bones to think of the industry as figuring out how to be innovative and we are talking 90 of farmers and Small Business owners so first of all that is something we shouldnt even think about considering. Theres also the false notion. We need to make sure that we are not demanding this industry. The bad actors with our generations of farmers and beef and sheepherders we see the communities that are all about making sure they are mentoring their kids as they move forward and getting back because less than 1 of the farming industry supports the rest of the nation. But i do want to ask a couple of quick questions here. Hr 7345 raised the age to the Agricultural Task by the secretary of labor from 16 to 18. In answering the question i think we need to remember that i had a 17 people in my High School Class meaning main street as the bank, a Small Grocery store. My nephews that live in that same town cant work on farms at the age of 16 there is no other opportunities at all. There is the ability to start that work as hr 7345 does and to get any job at all either because the task would be so restrictive even though the maturity level would base that opportunity only on their age and not a factor in any of those other considerations that could also determine. Could this open the door for the new overreach as we saw with the 2011 proposed rules . I am concerned about bureaucrats in washington writing overly broad Regulation WithoutTechnical Expertise on the farming the practices and without engaging farmers and that is exactly what we saw in 2011. I do believe that there is the conversation for farmers, regulators and i know from my experience we want to make sure everyone is safe. Thats why we are engaged with the extension and Safety Experts and committees. We want to be engaged and have that discussion but we worry the proposals will come through again and welcome and politically restrict the exemption but also not to be in touch with actual farming practices and with someone around agriculture their entire life feels comfortable doing versus may be someone who hasnt been around agriculture their entire life. Thank you so much and i will yield back. Thank you. Let me recognize the representative. You have five minutes. Thank you for all the witnesses coming out today. I believe Everyone Wants to ensure that all workers are protected and we must be especially observant to protect those under 18. I hope everybody on the committee can agree that we want to regard the safety and agricultural health. Having said that, can you find an employers for the federal government to improve Better Partnership with employers . In my experience, ive not worked at the department of labor. However when i was at the usda i worked with the secretarys office and worked directly on Agricultural Labor and safety issues. I engaged with the department of labor on a daily basis including the wage and Hour Division and so my experience working with them, i know as the mission states they take the health and safety of all workers very seriously and have the authority under the law to enforce those provisions of statute whether it is a violation and even increased penalties or the willful violations of those that have been offended in the pattern within those investigations they do have a big portfolio but the child safety is elevated as a priority for any alleged violation. They are looking at those even more seriously. The goal is to keep everyone safe. To make sure they have the tools and the knowledge to do so without arbitrary restricting the jobs young people can experience. Thank you very much for your answer and i will yield back. Let me move to the chair of the full committee on labor. You are recognized. Thank you. As you recognize in the testimony of the proposals for the standards of the Agricultural Industry generally exempt small family farms from the regulations. Can you tell us what affect the act would have on small family farms where the negative impact on the rural families . Thank you, chairman scott, for the question. The care act the legislation we are discussing today maintains the exemption for family farms that exist today. It doesnt change that family the familyfarming and i strongle that because of the experiences it is the opportunity to have the skills and training to pass down practices across the generation to be completely unaffected by the legislation. This legislation is about raising the basic minimum age for children who are hired to work. We are talking about the 12yearolds, we are moving the ability of 12yearold children to be hired to do exploited work on huge commercial agribusiness operations that would raise the basic minimum wage it wouldnt impact family funds so if they want to learn from their families and participate but still have those opportunities. The other aspect would raise from 16 to 18. Children under 18 would still have ample opportunity to do the work to participate in the work. It would only be restricted from the moment. Many members of the committee today have spoken with the strong agricultural committees. It would maintain the visible workforce why should agriculture be different from other industries it is and continues to be an industry driven by not just parents or the media but aunts, uncles and grandparents that has been restricted and the proposed regulations in the past and also congress recognized that this is Food Production and theres more and more demand to provide safe and affordable food and without being able to begin foster that interest to be able to safely encourage participation i do believe that this would impact that. I also believe there is room for a conversation about occupations and tasks. However, what weve seen have been broad sweeping unbalanced approaches that have opportunities and other societal needs to the agricultural bill. Youve been working with the agribusiness and health and safety issues for a long time. What do you think the reaction is going to be to raising the age limit of 12 to 14, and how would you respond to that criticism . The vast majority of producers, businesses and organizations want a positive and safe business and agriculture but at the same time in agriculture we are dealing with issues like Immigration Reform and labor shortages. Changing the age can be a part of a good conversation. I think that they would be willing to do that as long as there are other opportunities to make sure that they have what is needed. The request that we hear most often from the industry people is i want to do whats right but break it down, make it simple and clear and make things go the right way so i believe as long as the family farm exemption is held to maintain the agricultural employers will work with us to raise that age limit from 12 to 14. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you to the witnesses. At the time when the last americans are working more than ever before with a historical low combined with the narrative there are some jobs that americans just wont do its appalling that we be here today and with those young people that want to work on the farms as they have for decades. I was better as a kid for having worked on family farms. Young people were better for learning the value of work and at the value of the dollar at a young age. Young people were better for learning the values and the life skills and the work skills that are taught on the family farm. Hard work is noble and never heard anybody. And of those who feed our country, our family farms are better for the workers they rely on. But todays hearing represents washington at its worst, those who cannot to do and those who do not know trying to dictate rules and regulations to those who do and those who know. Family farms and working young people represent what is right about america and what made America Great and what makes America Great today. Farmers already have a tough it toughenough they are strugglo survive today. I recognize many of the majority may be have no farms in the district. Perhaps theyve never been on a farm or met a farmer but you cannot feed this nation and the cities. Youve got to go to the rural areas and to those that are literally feeding the countries. If we really care about the nations young people or about young people generally, why not go after the mexican crime cartels who are exploiting antitrafficking children and young people today thousands today, thousands every day along the southern border instead of going after American Farmers. If the concern is with the health and safety of miners the priority should be ending the biden border crisis, stopping illegal immigration and building the wall. Divide the crisis encouraging the Human Trafficking including of miners on a massive scale. I appreciate you being with us today and your testimony. We know the democrats dont believe that parents should have a say in their kids education. Do you believe parents would be any better situation and the federal government to make decisions regarding their work on a family farm . Thank you for the question. That is one of the main concerns with the way the legislation is drafted. There are certainly 16yearolds that should not be doing certain jobs and there are certain 12yearolds and 14yearolds whove been around. I think a parent is more equipped to look at their child and i refuse to believe that a parent is exploiting their children or worked with their children at risk or their grandparent or their own goal i refuse to believe that so i believe that a parent can look at their 12yearold and say this is a great opportunity for you to learn time management skills and understand what it takes to have that responsibility and maybe you can visit in washington, d. C. All those things are important and the parent can make those decisions more than the department of labor or congress who doesnt know that individuals experience or maturity level. The bill would give the secretary of labor unrestricted authority to limit farmworkers under age 18 from work that the secretary of labor irrespective of the qualification experience or knowledge to the detriMental Health or wellbeing. Could that phrase still be used to organize the department of labor against the farmers . I do believe that it can especially the devil is in the details of those hazardous occupations and having experienced individuals out on the ground operating the equipment that has been greatly improved. Thank you to the industry for putting more Safety Equipment and protections and putting fruits and vegetables out to help alleviate some of that hard work. Of that engagement is important and there are certainly those that are dangerous but we have to have an informed discussion about what those are with people that work on the farm. Madam chair i will yield back you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you very much madame chair for allowing me to participate in todays hearing. We were very careful in drafting this bill to make sure that we did not in any way change current law as it impacts family farms and Educational Programs. In fact we looked at the obama language that has been referred to to address all the concerns raised back then with regards to that proposed rulemaking. They could infect work on the family farm under the spell. We do nothing to change that. The language in the bill specifically says in addition to the health and Safety Experts on the bill, it encourages were urges future farmers of america that they should be a part of any changes in terms of the rulemaking process. It shouldnt be done in isolation by bureaucrats. So we have addressed that concern as well. But the fact remained that the children working in agriculture, and we are not talking about mom and dad and kids we are talking about the migrant families and children that go from place to place throughout the season are the only group of children that are not protected by the child labor laws. As a result according to the center for the rural and health and safetythe only centes dedicated to the childhood agriculture injury prevention, 33 children are injured as daily working on farms and a child dies every three days working in agriculture. Thats the answer to the reason as to why we are having this hearing. My question farmers have always been a central workers and that has been highlighted over the last few years during the heat waves and fires and especially during the covid pandemic and during these times, farm workers who are mainly hispanic and latino have faced increased demand to speed up their work putting them at greater risk for serious injury or death. Can you please elaborate on the impact that the increased pressure and even the everyday pressure that they are facing on parents and their children . Thank you for the question and your leadership. We know each other from across the aisle. She was of the American Farm bureau and id been advocating for these issues and throughout the years roll will record. The reality is that agriculture is the dangerous industry and the reality is that her experience in mind is so different and its because of those differences for love to be put in place to protect children like me so that i could have opportunities like hers. Thats what it comes down to so you heard also how so many of these employers and farmers want to do whats right and stick to the law. What we have found over the years both in my own personal experience and that over the years is that is the minimum. I have yet to meet employers that jump above and beyond because we are not talking about her experience and that of her family because it was more than her and her family to keep the operation going. They hire employees and they dont have the same oversight and protection as i mentioned in my testimony they tried to keep me safe and its not because they were exploitive. They cared for me but their hands were tied because of the desperate poverty that kept putting us in danger. Ive yet to hear how anybody will address the lack of ability. Thats what drives their children out there and they dont have somebody. They cant afford to somebody to take care of their kids. They cant afford to put food on the table. They have to bring their kid out there with them. To make sure children are being protected and not just folks like boswell. I want to remind my colleagues that with pursuance to the hearing record and must be submitted in 14 days following the last day of the hearing so by the close of business the material submitted must address the subject matter and only a member of the subcommittee or an invited witness makes the material inclusion in the hearing record with the internet link that you must provide to the committee clerk. Remember in the future that link may not work. The house rules and regulations item for the record should be for the clerk electronically i want to thank the witnesses for their participation. Members may have some additional questions for you and we ask of thewitnesses to please respond pursuant to the committee practice. The question submitted must address the subject matter of the hearing. I want to know recognize the distinguished Ranking Member for a closing statement. For the health and safety of all workers, workers of all ages, workers under 18, workers over 18 its a top priority of the agricultural employees in the federal government. As the industry faces the workforce, congress should be doing everything it can to promote opportunities for young people in Agriculture Committee republicans have serious concerns that the legislation could impact family farming operations and Education Programs like 4h and ffa j for the administrative overreach. It was mentioned that the language in the bill encourages this. I think theres a lot of concerns here. This is not an idle threat. The regulatory proposal that would have harm an opportunity for the agricultural employmentin our family farms. Immigrants want to advance policies, their own work yet another attack on the Rural America. The last thing americans farmers need is more washington knows best policies. Instead of demonizing farmers, the work is vital to creating and sustaining the nations food supply. We should be doing everything we can to support agriculture and young people who choose to pursue careers in this important profession. I would like to think the witnesses again for participating in todays hearing and i will yield back. Thank you. I will now recognize myself for the purpose of making my closing statement. Thank you to the witnesses for your time and testimony. Today we discussed the importance of increasing workplace detention for child farmworkers. Too often exploited and neglected while working in the field. The hours and dangerous work lead to low graduation rates, injuries and the disproportionate number. As the witnesses made clear, this is the direct result of those from key workplace protections that apply to those in other industries. All children should be safe while having the opportunity to achieve their dreams. So we must Work Together to improve for those that work and agricultural jobs. Thank you to my colleagues and to the witnesses. If there is no further businesss this 90 minute conversation. Good evening and welcome. I am president and chair of and i would like to thank everyone for joining today. It is my pleasure to