Source: PRESS RELEASE, 10/1/14
Today the Tobacco Growers Association of NC (TGANC) is releasing a prepared statement that includes an overview and four point policy position related to child labor working in tobacco.
In May of this year the Human Rights Watch Group release a report on this subject. Since that time TGANC has conducted dozens of interviews and hosted numerous farm visits to respond on this issue to the press and others.
TGANC President, Tim Yarbrough who grows tobacco in Caswell County, NC said “We are opposed to using child labor and quite frankly the modern tobacco operations in our state today find it difficult to rely on such labor anyway. The use of more mechanization and extended growing season means there is increasingly less for kids to do like there was 25 years ago.”
The below statement summarizes the position of the organization.
Thank you,
Graham Boyd
Executive Vice President
Tobacco Growers Association of NC
919-614-0099 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TGANC Policy Position on Child Labor
(Issued October 1, 2014)
OVERVIEW:
North Carolina is the birthplace of flue-cured tobacco and is the leading tobacco producing state in the nation. Tobacco has historically been a labor intensive crop over the centuries. Modern tobacco farming is constantly changing and North Carolina farmers are leading the way to support top quality production for our customers. Technology, equipment and other advancements have significantly reduced the number of man hours of labor necessary to complete harvest. Goals for the future include harvest practices that are completely mechanized and no “hands on” labor is required.
Securing a stable, reliable and experienced labor force is increasing a challenge for farmers. The primary source for seasonal labor in North Carolina is being provided through the federal H-2A guest worker program which requires workers to be a minimum of age 18 to obtain a visa. Consequently, child labor is not possible using this program and the employment of other persons outside of this program under age 18 is increasingly rare on North Carolina farms.
While we do not believe that tobacco fields are inherently unsafe for qualified persons who receive proper training and personal protective equipment, we recognize that there are particular risks associated with working in tobacco. Accordingly, the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina (TGANC) adopts the following policy:
POLICY:
* TGANC does not condone the use of child labor.
* Tobacco Growers and farm labor contractors should not employ workers younger than 16 years of age for work in tobacco, even with parental permission and including instances where the parent’s request the work for them.
* Tobacco Growers and farm labor contractors should be cautious about employing 16 and 17 year old workers in tobacco even though the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act allows it. If growers elect to employ 16 and 17 year olds, it is encouraged that the employee provides expressed written parental permission. The farmer must provide appropriate safety training and personal protective equipment to perform only non-hazardous tasks.
* Children of the family farm represent a unique circumstance in regards to child labor. Their engagement or related activities in a family farming perspective is a lifestyle for them as opposed to a vocation. Passing down strong agricultural values to the next generation is a key to ensuring productive and successful farms for the future. Therefore, this policy does not apply to members of a grower’s family who work or otherwise perform various tasks on their farms because of direct and specific parental supervision.
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For additional information contact Graham Boyd, Executive Vice President
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