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Age limits
are dropped
for farmers
RICHMOND - Gov. L. Douglas Wilder signed an emergency regulation Jan. 15 returning Virginia’A minimum age to 16 for working with most farm machinery. 2,
Wilder’s changes will be in effect for a year while the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry holds public hearings and develops and approves final labor regulations.
Farmers turned out in droves last summer at a series of public meetings to protest the labor department’s decision to raise the minimum age for working with hazardous farm machinery to 18. That standard went into effect July l. T;
Teen-age farm family members were exempt, but the Virginia Fart)fi Bureau Federation estimated that 3,000 potential farm workers were suddenly shut out of the labor pool. Farmers felt it was unreasonable 03 restrict teen-age employment of Virginia farms more than the federal farm labor age limit, which is 16.
“We’re very grateful” Wilder and Commissioner of Labor Carol Amato took this step to address farmer concerns, said VFBF President C. Wayne Ashworth. .
“Considering how few young people are entering fanning these days and the chronic shortage of labor in rural Virginia, we feel this was the right decision.”
Ashworth added that while the risks of farm work are well doci£ mented, farmers take every precaifc tion to prevent injuries.
“Farmers are -very concerned about their own children’s safety...and they’re very concerned about the safety of any employee on their farm,” he said.
“Not a single producer I know would allow an untrained person to run a piece of equipment.” --L
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