Farm advocates and several lawmakers in the state are worried new federal changes to child labor laws will prevent minors from fully working on farms.

This past year, there have been several attempts to change child labor laws in Wisconsin, specifically relating to youths working in the farming industry, said Casey Langan, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.

The Department of Labor said at the heart of child workers’ rights is the intention to create a safe working environment and give children enough time to go to school.

The proposed changes would not affect any kids who work on their parents’ farms. However, the proposed revision would require 14- and 15-year-olds to receive special training and certification before they are allowed to do a number of tasks on other people’s farms including handling baby animals, heavy machinery and band saws, according to the Department of Labor. 

With 78,000 farms in Wisconsin in 2010, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s website, stricter child labor laws could have an outstanding negative effect on Wisconsin’s farming industry, Langan said.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, which proclaims itself as “A voice for Farmers. A voice for Agriculture,” is concerned about the “extensive set of sweeping and very wide changes to the child labor laws,” Langan said.

While Langan said there are many different aspects the rules desire to change, there are a few that stand out.

“One rule states that a child could not work six feet above a main elevation. If this were to be taken literally, that means you could not stand on a ladder to change a light bulb or work up in a hay loft,” Langan said.

Thousands of people showed their disapproval by submitting online comments to the Federal Department of Labor, Langan said. It is projected that a decision will be made in a few months regarding the changes, if any, that will be executed.

Rep. Chris Danou, D-Trempealeau, submitted a letter of disapproval, signed by 28 Wisconsin legislators.

“As a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, I am committed to the highest standards of child safety in the workplace and on the family farm. However, I am deeply concerned with the proposal as currently drafted,” Danou said in a statement released Dec. 7. “I understand how important it is to update the current labor safety standards. However, these standards must be crafted with deep consideration and common sense.”

Langan said the language used to explain the new potential laws are very vague.

However, he said another law that he found shocking was that a youth could not work around newborn animals or animals that may exhibit unpredictable behavior.

“We can contend that all animal behavior is unpredictable. Will showing animals at a county fair be seen as too dangerous now as well”? Langan said.

The third and most narrow rule that may be implemented is that children can only work on farms that are solely owned by their parents. A child could not work on a farm if their grandparents or other close relatives owned it.

“While 99 percent of farms in Wisconsin are family-owned businesses, many of them are considered family partnerships,” Langan said.