Weekly 4-H Update
Communications >> 4-H Update >>Volume 12, Number 10....................................... March 21, 2008
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Attachments:
[ none for this month ]
Reminders:
- March 29-April 3: National 4-H Conference, Washington DC
- April 22-24: CAE4-HA, Estes Park, Colorado
Attention MySpace, Xanga and FaceBook Users
The youth members of the Texas 4-H Technology Team have recently undertaken a research project to evaluate why young people (ages 8 to 21) are so interested in on-line social networks such as MySpace, Xanga, and FaceBook. As part of their research project, they are conducting a survey and then will be presenting the findings at the 2008 Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Conference in San Antonio in May.
The team invites all young persons, ages 11 to 21, to go on-line and complete the survey. The survey is totally anonymous and is hosted by a secure website. The survey will take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
To complete the survey, visit the Texas 4-H Technology Team On-Line Community Survey. — Ellen Butler
Introducing: Clover Country CD
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National 4-H Council and EMI Music are producing a country music compilation CD called Clover Country--Songs From Famous 4-H Alumni. This innovative project, never before seen in 4-H's history, includes 11 hit songs from confirmed 4-H alumni who are all country music superstars. Artists include: Alabama, Luke Bryan, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Sugarland, and Grammy-award winning songwriter Hillary Lindsey---who recently recorded her new song "The Clown" just for Clover Country!
The CD will be released on March 25 and will be available in select retail outlets, through the Purchase Now button on Clover Country CD website and through participating state and county 4-H offices. This opportunity is a great way for you to promote your 4-H programs while raising money with each CD you sell. Below are more details on Clover Country and how to participate.
To purchase the CD, click on the Purchase Now button on the Clover Country CD website which is linked to the 4-H Mall. Ten percent of the price of CDs purchased from the 4-H Mall are shared directly with the buyer's state 4-H program through the National 4-H Supply Service Fair Share Program. — Ellen Butler
Work Safe this Summer!
Do you want to work on a farm? There are some restrictions you need to know about. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 has set different standards for youth employment in agriculture from those working in non-farm jobs. The law is to protect young workers.
If your farm is owned or operated by your parent or if you are age 16 and older, you may work at any time on any job. At ages 14 and 15 you can work outside of school hours in jobs that are not declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. If you are 12 or 13 you may work outside of school hours in non-hazardous jobs if your parents are employed there or have given written permission.
There are a number of occupations you cannot work in if you are under 16. These include:
- Operating a tractor of over 20 PTO horsepower including connecting or disconnecting implements or their parts to or from the tractor;
- Operating or working with a corn picker, cotton picker, grain combine, hay mower, forage harvester, hay baler, potato digger, mobile pea viner, feed grinder, crop dryer, forage blower, auger conveyer, unloading mechanism of a nongravity-type self loading wagon or trailer, power post-hole digger, or non-walking tiller;
- Operating or working with a trencher or earthmoving equipment, forklift, potato combine, or power-driven circular, band or chain saw;
- Working in a yard, or stall occupied by a bull, boar, or stud horse maintained for breeding purposes; a sow with suckling pigs; or a cow with a newborn calf (with umbilical cord present);
- Felling buckling, skidding loading or unloading timber with a butt diameter of more than six inches; working from a ladder or scaffold at a height of over 20 feet; driving a bus, truck or automobile to transport passengers, or riding on a tractor as a passenger or helper;
- Working inside: a fruit, forage, or grain storage designed to retain oxygen-deficient or toxic atmosphere; an upright silo within two weeks after silage has been added or when a top unloading device is in operating position, a manure pit; or a horizontal silo while operating a tractor for packing purposes;
- Handling or applying toxic agricultural chemical identified by the words “danger,” “poison,” or “warning” or a skull and crossbones on the label;
- Handling or using explosives; and
- Transporting, transferring, or applying anhydrous ammonia.
If you are 14 or 15-year old student learner enrolled in a vocational agricultural program you may be exempt from certain hazardous exemptions. Also, if you have certificates of completion of training under a 4-H or vocational agricultural training program you can work outside of school hours on certain equipment for which you have been trained.
States may have different laws for youth employment in agriculture. When both State and Federal youth employment laws apply, the law setting the most stringent standard is the one that must be followed. — Jan Carroll
