These are strawberry farms, which are one of the most labor intensive crops to grow. Why do they have so many strawberry crops being grown today? Answer: they are the most profitable because the labor is such a small part of the cost of marketing because our tax dollars subsidize the labor for these growers. But these growers just can't get enough of that cheep labor, now they're using young children. This is up in Oregon where they can't use the excuse that it's over 100 degrees in the sun. No, these growers are exploiting everything and anything to get that cheep labor and see the largest profits.
Berry Farms Fined For Hiring Kids As Young As 6
PORTLAND, Ore. (Associated Press) -- The U.S. Labor Department has fined three Washington state strawberry farms a total of $73,000 for employing children as young as 6 years old as pickers.
The department's Portland, Ore., office says Thursday the violations include failing to maintain proof-of-age records and pay minimum wage. A total of nine underage workers were found during a child labor investigation in June at farms in Woodland, Wash., and Ridgefield, Wash.
The department says all three employers removed the underage workers and agreed to attend wage and hour training for the next three years.
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08-05-2011, 01:17 PM
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