Many find it difficult to believe an estimated 300-400,000 children work in U.S. agriculture legally. The children work 10-14 hours days without protections afforded other industries due to an exemption in the 1938 labor laws. Aside from the backbreaking work, the children face pesticide exposure, a drop-out rate four times the national rate, and generational poverty.
Since 2001 Congress has failed to protect these children CARE, H.R. 3564 bill seeks to equalize the child labor laws while recognizing the farm owners children exemption. Yet, there is purposeful confusion in an effort to avoid regulations.
No industry should survive off the backs of children. If congress won't act, our president should take executive action to end child labor in the U.S.