Agriculture

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the withdrawal of a proposed rule dealing with children who work in agricultural vocations, saying, "The decision to withdraw this rule – including provisions to define the ‘parental exemption' – was made in response to thousands of comments expressing concerns about the effect of the proposed rules on small family-owned farms." The full release by the DOL is available here.

River flooding and drought have wreaked havoc on farmers in the Midwest, leaving many facing financial disaster. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II, is working to make sure lawmakers find ways to provide fast and fair aid in the event of natural disasters, continue efforts in conservation and keep agricultural research as a priority.