According to the U.S. Department of Labor, kids who work on farms are six times more likely to be killed on the job than any other profession.
In response to that statistic, policy makers are pushing for stricter child labor laws that could keep kids from working on farms altogether.
Some farmers in the north country say Washington just doesn't get it.
"There is a disconnect [with] the Department of Labor. It seems like they're taking a narrow approach, and it doesn't seem like they're really aware of what happens here on the farm," said Doug Shelmidine, owner of Sheland Farms in Adams.
The new regulations would prohibit children under the age of 16 from operating power-driven equipment, working in a pen with certain animals and working with grain elevators, silos, and in feed lots, among others.
The rules are intended to tighten safety, but farmer's say they're misguided.
"Washington is notorious for posing regulations that are great in theory, but not practical," said Michael Kiechle, Jefferson County Farm Bureau president.
"Safety has to be the first and foremost. Nobody wants to have the youth in harms way, and everyone needs to continually think about that, but that's no different than with older employees," Shelmidine said.
Farm owners' own children would be exempt from the new strict regulations. But, Shelmidine says that by limiting the amount other youth can do on the farm, it is robbing those children of an experience and the industry of future farmers
"It's one of the chances to involve children in agriculture and let them find out what its all about," he said.
Whether the proposed regulations will actually go into effect is not clear yet.
The public comment period for the new proposal ends on December 1.
