U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9), following months of advocacy on the issue, today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has withdrawn its proposed rule on youth who work in agriculture, bringing to an end a rule that would have undermined the ability of farmers to hire youth to work on farms.

“The regulatory machine in Washington is out of control and I am pleased to see the Department of Labor has pulled their proposed rule that threatens youth involvement in agriculture,” Luetkemeyer said. “The last thing the government should be doing is telling young people they can’t gain valuable experience on a farm. Had this poorly conceived rule gone forward, it would have fundamentally altered the way agriculture has been practiced in our country for generations and undermined parental oversight of farm youth.”

Luetkemeyer has long challenged DOL’s proposed changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act that would have impacted the ability of youth to explore agricultural careers and farm families to emply youth to work in agriculture. Luetkemeyer and colleagues argued the proposed regulations would have had the potential to change the way in which children under the age of 18 are allowed to work in agricultural and nonagricultural operations.
 
“Withdrawing this ridiculous rule allows the next generation of Missouri farmers and ranchers to continue the tradition of neighbor helping neighbor and at the same time have an opportunity to gain important experience for a career in agriculture,” Luetkemeyer said. “I am thankful this is one less regulation that will be imposed by our government on Missouri families.”