Farmers bristle at regulations

On the occasion of National Agriculture Day Thursday, Pennsylvania farmers and their advocates were railing against a deluge of new regulations they say will impede farms’ growth and success.  Many people think corporate America runs farms, but that’s not true in the Keystone state, said Gary Swan, of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.”More than 99 percent of the farms across the commonwealth are family operated,” Swan said.He said many farmers are frustrated by what they see as excessive state and federal regulation on the industry.   “The U.S. Department of Labor recently proposed some really severe restrictions on youth under 16 working on farms,” Swan said. “And dealing with some of the new vigorous and excessive requirements associated with the Chesapeake Bay is really causing a tremendous amount of concerns in the agricultural community.”The federal Environmental Protection Agency, as well as six states and the District of Columbia, have embarked on a long-term plan to reduce water pollution in local streams and rivers to help restore the Chesapeake Bay.