US Dept. of Labor to re-post proposed change to Farm Child Labor Rule

The US Department of Labor announced in February that it will:

"re-propose the portion of its regulation on child labor in agriculture interpreting the 'parental exemption.' The decision to re-propose is in part a response to requests from the public and members of Congress that the agency allow an opportunity for more input on this aspect of the rule. . . .

The parental exemption 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. Congress created the parental exemption in 1966 when it expanded protections for children employed in agriculture and prohibited their employment in jobs the Department of Labor declared particularly hazardous for children under the age of 16 to perform.

The department recognizes the unique attributes of farm families and rural communities. The re-proposal process will seek comments and inputs as to how the department can comply with statutory requirements to protect children, while respecting rural traditions. The re-proposed portion of the rule is expected to be published for public comment by early summer. The department will continue to review the comments received regarding the remaining portions of the proposed rule for inclusion in a final rule."

Click here for the full text of USDOL's press release.

Testimony of MHC in support of HB 680 - Development of Guidelines to Incorporate Sustainable Agriculture Education

Testimony of the Maryland Horse Council

before the Maryland House of Delegates Ways and Means Committee

in Support of House Bill 680

Education-Development of Guidelines to Incorporate Sustainable Agriculture Education

The Maryland Horse Council (MHC) is the umbrella trade association of the entire horse industry in Maryland. Our membership includes horse farms, horse related businesses, individual enthusiasts and breed, interest and discipline associations. As such, we represent over 30,000 Marylanders who make their living with horses, or just own and love them.

MHC, through its work uniting, educating and speaking for the Maryland horse industry is very aware that today’s youth is increasingly divorced from and unaware of the natural world, how it works, and the role that it plays in our lives. We believe that children really need to learn how food, fiber and livestock, and the agricultural land that nurtures and sustains them, are grown, cared for, maintained and harvested in a way that preserves these resources for generations to come.

MHC supports HB 680 Education-Development of Guidelines to Incorporate Sustainable Agriculture Education, and urges the Committee to report it favorably.

Respectfully submitted,

Jane Seigler

Vice President

Sunday Hunting in Prince Georges County - bill has been tabled

We have received reports that HB 809, the bill that would have allowed some Sunday hunting in Prince Georges County, has been tabled. We will post more details as they become available.

Update on WSSC trail closure controversy

As you may recall, there has been a continuing controversy centered around WSSC's (the water and sewer authority for Montgomery and PG County) decision to severely restrict equestrian use of the trails surrounding its reservoir. Ron MacNab, the President of TROT has recently received the following update from WSSC:

Mr. MacNab –

I wanted to update you on the status of the effort to engage a consultant to provide input and advice on protecting the Rocky Gorge and Triadelphia watershed area. We recently issued a Task Order to EA Engineering, Science & Technology, Inc., for the Patuxent Watershed Protection Study. This is intended to be a broad-based review that will support the entire community’s interest in protecting source water (Rocky Gorge and Triadelphia Reservoirs) and the surrounding property. As you know, we want to focus the engagement on how we can work toward a more robust watershed management and protection strategy, while considering the concerns of all the various stakeholders who have traditionally been granted limited access to the property.

The effort will include data assessment using materials provided by organizations that manage or regulate source water and watershed properties, including best management practices, water quality data, etc.., as well as data provided by stakeholder groups like people who fish on the property, TROT, hunters, boaters and others. Elements of the project include GIS mapping, analysis of soil erosion potential and field visits/reconnaissance of the reservoir properties. Please rest assured that the consultants also plan to meet with stakeholder groups to understand their concerns as part of this process. WSSC sought a broad-based approach to this review, so the review will continue in phases, depending on the outcome of the consultant’s initial work.

I hope this information is useful to you, and please feel free to share it with any interested parties.

Johnnie R. Hemphill, Jr.

Chief of Staff

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

House of Delegates considering changing language in some current law from animal "owners" to animal "guardians"

Via the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association: The Maryland House of Delegates' Environmental Matters Committee is currently considering legislation, HB 912, that would change terminology referring to the relationship between humans and domestic animals from animal and "owner" to animal and "guardian." Both the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association strongly oppose this legislation.

"Guardian" is a legal term that has significant legal implications and repercussions, including giving animal legal standing as "wards" rather than property. MVMA and AVMA have authored a joint statement on HB 912 listing the adverse affects of "guardianship" on animal owners, service providers, society and animals. They will also testify before the Environmental Matters Committee at its hearing on the bill on March 1.

Click here to see the MVMA/AVMA Joint Statement on HB 912

Click here to see the full text of HB 912

Click here to see the roster of Environmental Matters Committee members

Bills propose new penalties for animal cruelty convictions

Maryland House Bill 336, crossfiled as Senate Bill 445 would require a court to order a defendant convicted of a certain charges of animal cruelty, as a condition of sentencing, to assign ownership of a the animal(s) to the agency or organization that confiscated the animal(s), for disposal, at the discretion of that agency or organization and to pay, in addition to any other fines and costs, all reasonable costs incurred in removing, feeding, housing, treating, or euthanizing an animal confiscated from the defendant.

This bill would allow the rescues and animal welfare agencies who have custody of confiscated animals to move forward with adopting out these animals, if possible, or to euthanize them, if necessary.

The House bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, which held a hearing on February 9. On the Senate side, it has been assigned to the Senate Judicial proceeding Committee, which will hold a hearing on February 22. Click here for the full text of the bill.

Here is the House Committee roster:

Chair: Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. Vice Chair: Kathleen M. Dumais

Tiffany S. Alston, Curt Anderson, Sam Arora, Jill P. Carter, Luke H. Clippinger, Jr., John W. E. Cluster, Jr., Frank M. Conaway, Jr., Don Dwyer, Jr., Michael J. Hough, Kevin Kelly, Susan C. Lee, Susan K. McComas ,Michael A. McDermott, Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr., Neil C. Parrott, Luiz R. S. Simmons, Michael D. Smigiel, Sr., Kris Valderrama, Geraldine Valentino-Smith, Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher

Here is the Senate Committee roster:

Chair: Brian E. Frosh Vice Chair: Lisa A. Gladden

James Brochin, Joseph M. Getty, Jennie M. Forehand, Nancy Jacobs, Victor Ramirez, Jamie Raskin, Christopher B. Shank, Norman R. Stone, Jr. Bobby Zirkin

Click here to find out how to contact these legislators.

If you are in any of these legislator's districts, be sure to let them know that. Click here to find out who your legislators are.ind out who your legislators are.

Montgomery County right to farm legislation to be considered on 2/16

Via the Montgomery Countryside Alliance: the MoCo delegation Land Use and Transportation Subcommittee has once again placed important right to farm legislation on its agenda for its meeting this Thursday 2/16. This bill would nullify restrictive covenants that prohibit farming on certain parcels in the ag reserve (see our post of 2/1/2012).

Contact the legislators listed in the 2/1/2012 post and tell them to VOTE FOR MC 16-12 (HB 722). Tell them also to VOTE AGAINST the Barkley amendment that would allow already existing restrictive covenants to remain in place. Phone calls are most effective, but emails are great, too. Contact info is in the 2/1/2012 post.

You can read the full text of the bill here. Click here for a video about one affected farmer.