Newsletter | Past Issues

June, 2006

In This Issue:

Ohio Farm Custom Rates (Part 1)

Employing Minors on Your Farm: Understand the Rules

Forage Management Economics

Iowa Has New Vegetable Production Budgets

Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents 2005-06

Designing Effective Pay-For Performance Systems for Employees and Suppliers (Part 1)

Precision Guidance + Precision Sprayer Control: Can It Pay?

Computerized Software & Mapping Technologies for Crop Management

The National Animal Identification System

FDA Requirement of Tracking Food and Feed

Do you have a question that you would like to ask the Ohio AG Manager Team?  If so, click here to email your question.

Ohio Farm Custom Rates-Part 1
Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management, OSU Extension and The Department of Agricultural, Environmental, Development Economics

Many Ohio farmers hire custom farm work in their farm business or perform custom farm work for others. Custom farming rates traditionally have been arrived at by a series of activities and negotiations. One of the most common ways custom farming providers and consumers arrive at an agreeable custom farming rate is to access University Extension summarized surveys. Ohio State University Extension and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics have historically published farm custom rates to assist farm businesses with this important task.

The Ohio Farm Custom Rates are being updated for the first time since 2002 and will be published in two-parts in this and next month's Ohio Ag Manager. “Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2006” will also be available from your local OSU Extension Office and online at http://www-agecon.ag.ohio-state.edu/  

The data reported in this article is based on survey results from 277 Ohio farmers,

custom farmers and farm managers. The custom rates presented may differ from rates in your region depending on availability of custom operators and demand for their services.  See "Farm Machinery Economic Cost Estimates" for an alternative approach to estimating custom machinery rates at:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/businessmanagement/DF6696.pdf

The "Average" rate listed below is the average of all responses. The range is the average

+/- one standard deviation which includes about two-thirds of all responses.

Ohio Farm Custom Rates – 2006 – Part I

In next months article “Ohio Farm Custom Rates - 2006 – Part II”, we will present data on harvest and other operations.

Return to Top

Employing Minors on Your Farm: Understand the Rules

Chris Zoller, Extension Educator, ANR/CD, Tuscarawas County

With the school year coming to a close in the next few weeks, many students will be looking for employment on farms to do a variety of tasks ranging from baling hay to milking cows to operating machinery. Are all students allowed to operate machinery, handle livestock, apply chemicals, or work unlimited hours? For the most part, the answer is no to all of these. As an employer, it is your responsibility to understand the laws and regulations pertaining to the employment of minors. The Ohio Revised Code, Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Secretary of Labor all have rules and regulations in place for the protection of minors. The next few paragraphs will provide you with an overview of the regulations and references for additional information.

Who is Covered?

The employment of minors under age 16 is subject to federal requirements set by the Fair Labor Standards Act and the agriculture requirements are less than for many other industries. In 1967, the U.S. Secretary of Labor determined that certain jobs in agriculture are hazardous to children less than 16 years of age. However, like many other federal regulations, there are exemptions. These include the employment of children less than 16 years of age when employed on farms owned or operated by their parents or guardians and those who have completed an approved tractor and machinery certification course.

In addition to federal hazardous occupation regulations, there are also state regulations. For most Ohio laws, a person under the age of 18 is considered a minor and the Ohio Revised Code prohibits minors from working in certain hazardous jobs related to agriculture. The Ohio list of hazardous occupations is the same as the federal list, but the Ohio code sections and related regulations say the Ohio hazardous occupation list applies to those under 16 years of age . There are many sections of the Ohio Revised Code concerned with the employment of minors that do not apply to minors employed on farms. These include obtaining an age and schooling certificate (unless you employ children of migrant workers); keeping a list of minor employees; and paying the minimum wage.

Hazards Occupations in Agriculture:

Although it would be easier to list the non-hazardous jobs in agriculture, below is a list of those jobs declared hazardous by the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Because of space limitations, the full details of each hazardous occupation can not be provided here. Please see a copy of the "Ohio Farm Labor Handbook" for complete details. Jobs designated as hazardous to youth under 16 years old include:

• Operating a tractor of more than 20 PTO horsepower, or connecting or disconnecting implements from such a tractor.

• Operating any of the following:

• Corn picker, combine, hay mower, forage harvester, hay baler or potato digger.

• Feed grinder, grain dryer, forage blower, auger conveyor or the unloading mechanism of a non-gravity type self-unloading wagon or trailer.

• Operating a trencher, earth moving equipment, fork lift, or power-driven circular, band or chain saw.

• Working in a yard, stall or pen occupied by a bull, boar or stud horse; or sow with suckling pigs or cow with newborn calf.

• Felling, bucking, skidding, loading or unloading timber with butt diameter of greater than six inches.

• Working on a ladder at a height of more than 20 feet.

• Driving a bus, truck or automobile or riding on a tractor as a passenger.

• Working in a forage, fruit or grain storage facility; an upright silo within two weeks after silage has been added or when a top unloading device is operating; a manure pit; or a horizontal silo when operating a tractor for packing purposes.

• Handling or applying pesticides with the words or symbols "Danger", "Poison", "Skull and Crossbones" or "Warning" on the label.

• Handling or using blasting agents.

• Transporting, transferring or applying anhydrous ammonia.

When Can Minors Work?

Under the federal regulations, minors under 16 years of age may not be employed during school hours unless employed by their parent or guardian. Unless provided a special exemption, minors are subject to the follo