Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it will re-evaluate part of a controversial proposal to restrict youth work on farms and ranches.
The department will do so partly because of public comments received after the proposal was initially released in September 2011.
Montana's U.S. legislators each wrote in opposition of the measure, which called for adding a variety of new restrictions to child labor in the agricultural sector, such as banning those age 16 and under from operating most power-driven equipment.
The department will now re-evaluate a section of its proposal regarding parental exemption, which "allows children of any age who are employed by their parent, or a person standing in the place of a parent, to perform any job on a farm owned or operated by their parent or such person standing in the place of a parent," according to the agency.
Montana's U.S. legislators decried the announcement last week, saying the department still isn't doing enough.
Tester said he was "deeply disappointed."
"The labor department clearly didn't get the whole message from Montana's farmers and ranchers," Tester said in a prepared statement. "(The) announcement doesn't go far enough toward finding a solution that safeguards Montana's family farms and ranches for decades to come."
Rep. Denny Rehberg said parents have a better idea than "faceless bureaucrats" of what's in a child's best interest.
"Instead of a top-down, government-knows-best set of rules, let's get the federal government on the side of our struggling family farms," he said in a news release.
Sen. Max Baucus said it was a step forward for family farmers, but more could be done.
"I'm glad to see the labor department has agreed to take a closer look, but these types of decisions should be made by families, not federal agencies," he said in a prepared statement.
During the re-evaluation process, the department will seek comments as to how it can comply with statutory requirements to protect children, while respecting rural traditions. The re-proposed portion of the rule should be published for public comment by early summer.
According to the department, the proposed rule "aimed to increase protections for children working in agriculture while preserving the benefits that safe and healthy work can provide."
Officials decided to update the department's 40-year-old child labor regulations after studies showed that children are significantly more likely to be killed while performing agricultural work than while working in all other industries combined. The department's child labor in agriculture statutory authority extends only to children employed in agriculture who are 15 years of age or younger.
Carly Flandro may be reached at 582-2638 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).