Oct 26, 2021

Children Working in Agriculture Do Not Receive The Same Protection As Other Children

Child labor is not equal. The image of children taking a part-time job to teach responsibility and work ethic has its place in society. Children working in these positions are protected by federal law from exploitation, danger and remain on track for high school graduation, except for children working as farmworkers. Federal law exposes children as young as ten to dangerous working conditions and child labor exploitation. The children in farmwork are often working out of necessity to contribute financially to their family. Farmworker parents cannot support their family with meager wages in farm work. Children are pressured to assume work their young bodies are not ready for. Federal law makes matters worse with unequal protection for children working in farmwork. Below you will find a list of differences with intent to display the inequality children in farm work endure.  

This post is a summary from Children in Fields The Facts You Should Know by Association of Farmworkers Opportunity Programs.

Children In Agriculture

Children in Non-Agriculture Occupations

Farms are hazardous places. According to the National Ag Safety Database, one kid dies every three days in an agriculture-related incident. This is due to the many dangers that threaten them, such as ATVs, manure pits, pesticides, tractors, and other power-driven machinery. Many children also suffocate in graniers, where they fall into the quicksand of corn or silage and cannot crawl out. Others are alone with equipment when it catches on their clothes or boots, and are pulled to their deaths. Current exceptions allow children to share space with dangerous equipment and are often allowed to operate them as if they were adults with equal ability and protection under the law. 

Article abstract from Farmworker Children FACTS. Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs. Sourced from https://afop.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CIFC-Publication-Final-1.29.18.pdf