RAYNER RAMIREZ

Child Labor on the Farm

The farm lobby crushed regulations that could have saved the lives and health of many young workers.

Dying on the Farm

Under pressure, the Obama administration withdrew rules barring children from dangerous agricultural work — a decision with grave consequences.

Why are children working in American tobacco fields?

Harvesting tobacco exposes workers to as much nicotine as a pack a day of cigarettes. So why is it legal for kids as young as 12 to do this work?

1930s child labor laws still allow 12-year-olds to work in agriculture and perform even the most hazardous tasks.
In 2012 the agriculture lobby blocked new rules that would have barred kids from working particularly hazardous tasks.
At least 4 children have been killed, 39 injured from the hazardous tasks that the scuttled rule would have banned.
One in four tobacco workers, including children, suffer from green tobacco sickness.